A Bulawayo-based company director has appeared before the courts facing allegations of defrauding Varichem Pharmaceuticals Private Limited of US$125 000 after allegedly interfering with an email communication and redirecting a payment into a local bank account.
Belene Ncube, a director of Malaba Solutions, was yesterday granted US$500 bail after appearing before Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa on fraud charges.
Varichem Pharmaceuticals, represented by its chief finance officer Patricia Wadzanai Kamangirira, is the complainant in the matter.
Prosecutor Lawrence Gangarahwe told the court that Varichem was due to pay US$125 000 to the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), a financial institution based in Kenya, for services rendered.
The court heard that on August 14, 2026, Varichem received an email from a person identifying himself as Sabelo Nkambule, who allegedly presented himself as a TDB representative and sent an invoice for the amount.
The payment was initially meant to be transferred into TDB’s Standard Chartered Bank account in the United Kingdom.
However, approximately 20 minutes later, Varichem allegedly received another email from an address similar to that of TDB, directing the company to amend the beneficiary banking details.
According to the State, the new instructions directed Varichem to transfer the funds into an NBS Bank Zimbabwe account allegedly linked to TDB.
On August 26, Varichem reportedly approved the transaction and transferred the US$125 000 into the specified account.
Ncube is alleged to have subsequently accessed the money and used part of it to purchase goods locally.
The alleged fraud came to light the following day when Varichem followed up with TDB and discovered that the payment had not been received.
The company then reported the matter to the police.
The State alleges that Varichem suffered an actual financial loss of US$125 000 as a result of the transaction.
Investigations have so far resulted in the recovery of US$50 000, leaving US$75 000 outstanding.
Ncube remains on bail as the matter proceeds through the courts.
