US$33K Fraud: Tatenda Mudimu Arrested Over Karigamombe Offices Scam

Tatenda Dinno Mudimu, a 41-year-old man from Epworth, has been arrested in connection with an alleged US$33,220 fraud scheme involving forged international bank transfer confirmations used to obtain office space, furniture and aluminium products from businesses in Harare.

Mudimu is facing seven counts of fraud after allegedly presenting fake HSBC bank transfer receipts while posing as a businessman operating a United Kingdom-based company.

Court documents show that several businesses were allegedly defrauded, with police recovering property worth US$5,362.

In one of the cases, Mudimu allegedly approached Karigamombe Centre Property Portfolio in August this year seeking office accommodation.

He was offered a three-month lease and asked to make payment through an international bank transfer.

On October 28, he allegedly produced a forged HSBC transfer confirmation showing that US$21,000 had been sent from his purported UK company to the property management firm.

Believing the payment had been made, the company allowed him to sign the lease agreement and occupy offices on the 19th floor of Karigamombe Centre.

The alleged fraud was later discovered, resulting in a reported loss of US$21,000.

In another incident, Mudimu allegedly approached Sahai Furniture Private Limited on October 22 and ordered three water dispensers, six office and visitors’ chairs, four executive chairs and an HP printer worth US$2,050.

He reportedly requested the company’s banking details, claiming he would settle the bill through an international transfer.

On October 31, he allegedly presented a fake HSBC payment confirmation indicating that the money had been transferred. The company released the goods before discovering that no payment had been received.

Police later recovered furniture and equipment valued at US$1,950.

Mudimu is also accused of defrauding Fitters Aluminium Private Limited after ordering aluminium shopfront materials worth US$1,132 and requesting office partitioning services.

He allegedly produced another fraudulent HSBC transfer document claiming that US$38,000 had been transferred by his company.

The business released the aluminium materials, which were later recovered during police investigations.

In a separate case, Mudimu allegedly approached Madrugada Private Limited at Karimapondo Mall along Leopold Takawira Road seeking office space.

He was offered a three-month lease and reportedly presented a forged bank transfer confirmation showing that US$4,800 had been deposited into the company’s account.

The company subsequently allowed him to occupy the premises before discovering the alleged fraud.

Investigators reportedly established that Mudimu used the same cellphone to communicate with the targeted businesses and generate fraudulent payment confirmations.

Detectives also allegedly recovered fake transfer documents and other business transaction records from his possession.

The State further alleges that he used another person’s national identity document to register an Econet cellphone number in an effort to conceal his identity.

Some of the allegedly obtained goods were recovered from his workplace, while other items were traced to individuals to whom they had reportedly been sold.

Mudimu was arrested on November 3 following investigations by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Commercial Crimes Division in Harare.