Harare – The Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has launched a manhunt for Tranos Taurai Muzanenhamo, who is wanted in connection with a large-scale SIM swap and hacking scam involving more than US$17,000 and ZWG 30 million.

According to police investigations, Muzanenhamo allegedly conducted a sophisticated cyber fraud operation by using phishing tactics and data breaches to harvest personal details from unsuspecting victims.

He then impersonated the victims when contacting mobile service providers, performing fraudulent SIM card replacements to gain control of their phone numbers.

Once he had access to the victims’ mobile lines, the suspect reportedly broke into their bank and mobile money accounts, transferring funds and carrying out illegal withdrawals.

Police say he also took over victims’ WhatsApp accounts, using them to trick friends and relatives into sending money under false pretences.

“This is a highly organised form of cybercrime that targets individuals and businesses through identity theft and digital manipulation,” said a police.

The ZRP is urging members of the public to assist with any information that could lead to the suspect’s arrest.

“Anyone who knows the whereabouts of Tranos Taurai Muzanenhamo is urged to report immediately to the nearest police station.

Citizens are also reminded to protect their personal data and avoid sharing sensitive information online,” the police statement added.

The Constitutional Court has dismissed an appeal by the University of Zimbabwe (UZ) in a protracted labour dispute involving former bursar Vengai Mugabe, ruling that earlier court proceedings were fundamentally flawed and legally void.

In the judgment delivered by Justice Anne-Mary Gowora, the court found that both the Labour Court and the Supreme Court had acted outside their jurisdiction in previously adjudicating the matter.

“There must be strict adherence to statutory procedures for a court to lawfully exercise jurisdiction,” said Justice Gowora. “The failure to observe these legal requirements rendered the prior rulings null and void.”

Mugabe, who served as UZ’s bursar under a fixed-term contract from July 2017 to June 2021, was dismissed following disputes with the institution’s leadership. A labour officer later ruled in his favour, awarding him US$323,036 for wrongful dismissal—a decision the university attempted to challenge through successive appeals.

Representing Mugabe, lawyer Tawanda Zhuwarara argued that the earlier court decisions infringed on his client’s constitutional rights, particularly those related to equality before the law and protection of property, as outlined in sections 56 and 71 of the Constitution. He described the Supreme Court’s ruling as an “arbitrary deprivation of property.”

In response, UZ’s counsel, G. Madzoka, maintained that Mugabe’s application was effectively a disguised appeal, contending that the core legal issues had already been conclusively addressed.

Justice Rita Makarau, concurring with the final ruling, criticised the lower courts for failing to address key preliminary issues that were essential to ensuring procedural fairness.

The Constitutional Court ultimately declared all prior judgments in the matter invalid, concluding that the earlier proceedings were riddled with legal irregularities and could not stand.

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The High Court has thrown out an application by Abigail Makono aimed at halting the enforcement of a US$600,000 divorce settlement owed to her former husband, Charles Makono. In a ruling delivered on October 16, Justice Regis Dembure described her application as “manifestly groundless” and an abuse of court procedures. He also ordered Abigail to cover legal costs on a higher attorney-client scale, emphasizing that the court would not tolerate attempts to sidestep its rulings.

The case stems from a consent order issued in April 2025, which required Abigail to pay Charles US$600,000 in return for the properties she was awarded during their divorce. However, she sought to invalidate the writ of execution, arguing that Charles had not signed the property transfer documents.

Justice Dembure dismissed this argument, stating that a party who fails to meet their own obligations under a consent order cannot demand compliance from the other party. The court confirmed that Charles had already fulfilled his part by signing and submitting the required documents.

During the proceedings, Abigail’s attorney, Chivhenge, withdrew some claims, admitting that the argument regarding the improper mixing of movable and immovable property lacked merit. The judge made it clear: “There should be no debate. A litigant who has disobeyed a court order cannot simultaneously ask the court for relief to avoid fulfilling their financial responsibility.”

This ruling underscores the authority of court orders and demonstrates the judiciary’s firm stance against efforts to evade financial duties in divorce cases.

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