NPA Confirms Arrest Over Illicit US$7.6M Gas Import Payments

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed the arrest of businessman Grant Chitate, director of Grant Wellington Thulisa (Pvt) Ltd, in connection with a significant foreign currency scandal involving over US$7.6 million in unauthorised payments for imported gas.

Chitate and his company are accused of breaching Zimbabwe’s foreign exchange regulations by allegedly making external payments without securing the required approvals from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).

Investigations reveal that between January 2019 and December 2024, the company reportedly paid for 9.4 million kilograms of liquefied petroleum gas (LP gas), amounting to US$7,669,864.12.

However, authorities noted a major red flag: there’s no evidence of these transactions reflected in the company’s local bank accounts. This discrepancy has raised concerns about the origin of the funds and the method of payment — pointing to possible illicit foreign currency transactions.

Chitate was taken into custody on 30 July 2025. He appeared in court shortly after and was released on US$1,000 bail under strict conditions.

He is facing charges under Section 5(1) of the Exchange Control Act and Section 11(1)(a)(b) of the Exchange Control Regulations, which prohibit making foreign payments without RBZ authorization.

The case has been postponed to 2 September 2025 as investigations continue.

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