Three Council Employees in Court over US$15k Fraud

Three Harare City Council employees who allegedly used stolen receipts to divert US$15,479 meant for a certificate of occupation have appeared in court facing fraud charges.

Emmanuel Mashoko, 48, Shingirai Chiwara, 36, and Julius Muteera, 53, appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court.

Mashoko worked at Harare City Council as a cashier from 2013 until September 8, 2026. Chiwara is a senior clerical officer stationed at the council’s Remembrance offices, while Muteera works as a building inspector.

The court heard that on May 21, 2026, Mashoko was issued with a batch of receipts, numbered 16246113 to 16246877, by his supervisor, Chipo Chikanya, for official use.

The three accused, together with Prosper Makusha, who is still at large and is also a council employee, allegedly hatched a plan to defraud the local authority using the receipts.

As part of the alleged scheme, Mashoko stole 19 receipts, numbered 16246192 to 16246210, from the batch and handed them to Chiwara and Makusha for use outside the council’s official revenue system.

Investigations revealed that Muteera had received US$15,479 from Ocean Hotel for payment to Harare City Council for a certificate of occupation.

The accused persons allegedly connived to falsify information on receipt number 16246207, making it appear that a payment of US$15,479 had been made for stand number 19528 STL, along Churchill Avenue East in Harare, where Ocean Hotel is located.

The receipt was allegedly printed using an external source and was not captured in the Harare City Council revenue system.

The accused persons allegedly misappropriated and shared the US$15,479, prejudicing the council by the same amount.

They were remanded in custody to a later date for trial while police investigations to locate and arrest Makusha are continuing