Ex-Zimra staffer falsified import of over 400 cars

Yvonne Tambudzai Musoni, a former employee at the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra), allegedly hacked her supervisor's electronic signature to fraudulently approve the importation of over 400 vehicles under the civil servants rebate scheme. This scheme, intended to facilitate vehicle purchases for long-serving civil servants, has been widely abused. Musoni's activities represent more than 10% of the over 3,000 vehicles illegally imported under the scheme.

Musoni, working as an office assistant at Zimra Harare Port, accessed her supervisor Mr. Philbert Muchechetere's computer and signature to sign and stamp rebate letters fraudulently. The scam was uncovered when Mr. Muchechetere received an email from Beitbridge Border post requesting verification of suspicious rebate letters. Subsequent internal investigations revealed that Musoni had used his electronic signature to confirm numerous fake rebate letters.

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and Zimra conducted a joint operation that exposed over 3,000 vehicles illegally imported through the rebate scheme since its introduction in 2019. Musoni's fraud involved her confirming the authenticity of rebate letters and inserting her supervisor's signature on them.

Musoni, who is reportedly in Cape Town, South Africa, cannot sell or transfer her property at Mabvazuva Gated Estate, and the State has frozen US$47,500 in school fees deposited into two private schools' bank accounts. The Prosecutor-General's office successfully obtained a High Court order to freeze her and her husband's assets.

Investigations revealed that Musoni colluded with non-civil servants to create fake rebate letters, enabling them to import vehicles duty-free. Several accomplices have been arrested and prosecuted, but Musoni remains a fugitive. The hunt for her continues.