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Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
A bid to secure a United States visa backfired for a Harare woman after the authorities discovered that she forged a 1990 Ordinary Level certificate purporting that she passed seven subjects. Rumbidzai Chamusingarevi (46) of Dzivarasekwa 1 had won a green card diversity competition and was to go and live in America.

As part of the requirements to obtain a visa, Chamusingarevi was ordered to tender an O-Level certificate and since she had never sat for Ordinary Level, she then forged an Ordinary Level Cambridge certificate with seven passes. Investigations with the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) revealed that the centre and candidate number which Chamusingarevi used was for a candidate identified as Ennias who failed all the subjects. Chamusingarevi pleaded guilty to contravening the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council Act when she appeared in court before Ms Tilda Mazhande. She pleaded for the court’s leniency while weeping.

“Your Worship, I admit to the charge. It is true that I forged the Ordinary Level certificate because I never sat for the exams. All I wanted was a better life so that I could take care of my children. Please forgive me,” she said. Prosecuting, Ms Francesca Mukumbiri told the court that Chamusingarevi intended to move to America after winning a green card lottery. On October 5, she went to the US Embassy where she was applying for a visa and submitted her certificates. The forged certificate indicated that Chamusingarevi had two Bs and five Cs. The authorities at the embassy then forwarded the certificate to ZIMSEC for verification. It was then proved that it was fake. The matter was reported to the police leading to Chamusingarevi’s arrest.