A director of Medical Territory Private Limited appeared before the Harare Regional Magistrates Court facing extortion, fraud and money laundering charges involving more than US$663 000.
Lucia Kunaka appeared before regional magistrate Jesse Kufa and was remanded in custody pending a bail application.
The complainant is Shar Prashant, representing Pharmaceutical and Chemical Distributors.
Prosecutors allege that between April 14 and 17, 2026, Kunaka acted in connivance with Joseph Kanyekanye, who has already appeared in court, and other accomplices still at large to pressure the complainant into releasing funds.
The State alleges that the accused falsely claimed the money was required for senior ZANU-PF officials in preparation for Independence Day celebrations in Maphisa and that the disbursement had been approved by President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
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According to the State, the complainant, fearing prejudice to his business interests, authorised the transfer of US$663 480.75 from a lawyers' trust account into a CBZ Bank account belonging to Jemina Capital.
Prosecutors allege that none of the money was used for the stated purpose and that the full amount remains unrecovered.
On the fraud charge, the State alleges that between March and April 2026, Kunaka and Kanyekanye forged payment instructions purportedly authored by the complainant and submitted them to the Ministry of Finance and Investment Promotion.
The documents allegedly included forged instructions purportedly signed by President Mnangagwa and were used to facilitate the processing of a US$1.8 million payment into the complainant's account.
The State alleges that after the payment was made, approximately US$884 641 was transferred into a lawyers' trust account and that Kunaka later misrepresented the purpose of the funds to secure the release of US$663 480.75.
On the money laundering charge, prosecutors allege that between March and May 19, 2026, Kunaka and her alleged accomplices transferred the US$663 480.75 through various third-party accounts in an attempt to conceal its source and ownership despite knowing it was the proceeds of crime.
Investigations are continuing.
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