Confidence in Mpilo Central Hospital’s recruitment system has been dealt another blow after a second trainee nurse was dragged before the courts on allegations of using forged academic qualifications to gain entry into the institution’s nursing school.
The latest suspect, Thelma Gurupira (23) of Mbare, Harare, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba on Monday facing charges of fraudulently tendering a fake Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) certificate. She was granted free bail.
According to prosecutor Sibusisiwe Sithole, Gurupira applied for a place at Mpilo’s School of Nursing in 2017, despite failing to obtain the required number of Ordinary Level passes. She allegedly submitted a counterfeit ZIMSEC certificate purporting to show six passes from the November 2017 exams.
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Based on the forged results, the nursing school enrolled her, and she reportedly trained from September 2022 until September 2025 before the fraud came to light. Gurupira is being represented by lawyer Tanaka Muganyi of Tanaka Law Chambers.
Her arrest follows hard on the heels of another student nurse, Sandra Kudzaishe Ndege (25) of Murehwa, who is facing similar charges. Ndege is accused of forging an O-Level certificate reflecting eight passes, including key subjects such as English, Mathematics and Science, after twice failing her exams. She allegedly gained admission in 2023 and even drew a monthly salary as a trainee nurse before her results were sent to ZIMSEC for verification in July this year.
Investigations revealed that Ndege had in fact only managed four passes over two sittings, but her fake certificate listed strong grades such as Agriculture (A), Shona (A), English (B) and Mathematics (C). She has pleaded not guilty and is also out on bail.
These back-to-back arrests come against the backdrop of Mpilo’s earlier scandal involving Taurayi Prosper Vanhuvaone (29), who masqueraded as a doctor under the alias “Dr Prosper Mpofu”. For two years, Vanhuvaone operated from within Mpilo Hospital, treating unsuspecting patients and defrauding desperate job-seekers by promising fake nursing placements. His scheme was uncovered earlier this year, leading to his conviction in March. He was sentenced to seven years in prison, part of which was suspended.
The growing list of scandals has cast serious doubt on the hospital’s recruitment and vetting systems. Stakeholders and the public are now calling for urgent reforms to tighten the verification of health professionals and trainees, in order to protect patients and restore trust in one of Zimbabwe’s largest referral hospitals.
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