A 37-year-old Harare man will spend the next eight months in prison after being convicted of theft at the Mbare Magistrates’ Court.

Howard Zvareva was sentenced to a total of 12 months in jail for stealing a car battery valued at USD 400. Four months of the sentence were suspended for five years on the condition that he maintains good behavior.

The crime occurred on January 23, 2026, at the Lochinvar Truck Stop. The victim had parked his truck at the site around 11:00 a.m., only to be informed later that day that his batteries were missing.

Following the report, the truck stop owner reviewed CCTV footage, which clearly showed Zvareva stealing the property from the vehicle
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Police investigations quickly led to the arrest of the offender and the successful recovery of the stolen items.

The National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) confirmed the conviction this week, using the case to remind the public to seek legal means of earning a living rather than resorting to crime.

Chatunga Mugabe and Tobias Mugabe Matonhodze appeared at the Alexandra Magistrate’s Court this morning, where their case was postponed to Tuesday, 24 March 2026.

The postponement comes as a plea agreement between the State and the accused is close to being finalised, with only a small portion still outstanding.

The court was unable to proceed with the matter today after the State indicated that it was not yet ready to continue.

Last Wednesday, the two accused withdrew their bail applications after it was revealed that they were in the country illegally.

The case is expected to resume once the plea deal has been fully concluded.

Harare – A director of a Harare-based freight clearing company has appeared in court facing fraud charges after allegedly defrauding the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) of more than ZiG$400,000 through a fictitious payment scheme.

Lawrence Zifungo, 43, was arraigned at the Harare Magistrates’ Court. He is accused of using company and ZIMRA accounts to clear goods without making the necessary payments to the tax authority.

According to the State, in 2023, Rosecraft Freight Private Limited engaged Zifungo to manage customs clearance for clients using the company’s official accounts. Zifungo was given access to Rosecraft Freight’s pre-payment account, intended for clearing goods through ZIMRA.

Between January and August 2025, he allegedly created a plan to defraud Rosecraft Freight. Acting with unidentified ZIMRA employees, he is accused of falsely reporting that Rosecraft Freight had deposited ZiG$448,620 into ZIMRA’s BancABC account.

Court documents indicate that the scheme involved ZIMRA staff generating a fake payment record, showing the funds had been received. This allegedly allowed goods to be cleared without actual payment, resulting in a loss to the national revenue.

Zifungo was released on US$300 bail while investigations continue into the full extent of the fraud and the possible involvement of other parties.