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Crime Reporter
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested four suspects for fraudulently acquiring fake national identification documents before stealing over $15 million from pensioners bank accounts in Harare.

In a statement ZACC said the four are Molyn Mugodi, Kirthmore Magqoka, Joseph Sigauke and John Tevera who have been arrested for fraudulently creating the fake national identity cards to steal $15 million from at least nine pensioners.

“Investigations are still ongoing amid indications that more pensioners could have been scammed by the syndicate. Allegations are that Magqoka, Sigauke and Tevera would move around town looking for lost plastic national identification cards and once in possession of these, they would erase the details on the documents.

“Two other suspects arrested last week, Collin Mangome and Isaac Mafa would then provide information of government pensioners who had received their lump sum pay outs. The information included potential victims’ names, bank account numbers, national identity numbers, dates of birth and their respective banks,” ZACC said.

The commission added that the suspects would also get the same information in relation to account holders whose accounts had substantial amounts of money.

“Equipped with this information, Mugodi would get the defaced national identity cards from Magqoka, Sigauke and Tevera and allegedly print fake national identity cards with the details of the targeted pensioners or account holders bearing the facial photos of either David Madzinga or Samson Chome.

“The syndicate allegedly targeted pensioners or account holders banking with CBZ to commit the crimes via the bank’s mobile banking facility,” ZACC said.

With the fake ID cards, Madzinga, Chome and another suspect Luckmore Matuku would then approach Econet agents mostly in smaller towns across Zimbabwe and do SIM card replacements leading to their victims’ mobile line losing network connectivity.

It is alleged that once in control of their victim’s ‘new’ Econet line, the suspects would then use it to log-in to CBZ mobile banking platform and make withdrawals or other transactions.

Indications are that the syndicate used the money to buy US Dollars on the streets, bulk groceries and building materials for re-sale and then share the proceeds.