Mubaiwa cleared of fraud charges after NetOne withdrawal

HARARE - Veteran auctioneer and JEFFM Auctions director Jeffery Mubaiwa (47) has been cleared of fraud charges after NetOne Cellular (Pvt) Ltd formally withdrew its complaint, leading the Harare Magistrates' Court to strike the case off the roll.  

Mubaiwa had been accused of failing to remit US$133,000 from the sale of obsolete NetOne assets. However, the mobile operator retracted its allegations through a sworn affidavit filed by Regional Loss Control Officer Takaiteyi Chitekwe on October 14, 2025, at Kopje Plaza.  

The affidavit confirmed that NetOne was "no longer interested in pursuing the matter," clarifying that the dispute stemmed from contractual misunderstandings rather than criminal conduct.  

NetOne acknowledged that some issues raised were not captured in the contract and should have been resolved internally. The company further affirmed that the matter had been settled amicably and would not be reinstated "in any other court of law."  

The withdrawal collapsed the State's case, which had alleged Mubaiwa failed to remit funds from a July 13 auction that generated US$172,204 from the sale of decommissioned vehicles, furniture, and equipment. Prosecutors had initially claimed he was supposed to remit the funds within 48 hours.  

With the complainant disowning the allegations, the magistrate ruled that the State had no legal grounds to proceed, resulting in Mubaiwa's full clearance.  

The development restores the professional reputation of the veteran auctioneer and paves the way for him to resume full duties at JEFFM Auctions without the cloud of criminal charges.  

NetOne's certified withdrawal conclusively dispels earlier claims of fraud or money laundering, bringing the matter to a definitive close. The move has also been viewed as an affirmation of the company's commitment to due process and corporate governance.