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Source: MAN RECRUITS 35 PEOPLE, FOOLS FINANCIAL INSTITUTION INTO BELIEVING THEY ARE EMPLOYEES OF A SECURITY FIRM, STEALS US$91,5k – herald

Arron Nyamayaro

A MAN allegedly recruited thirty five people, forged documents to give an impression they were employees of a security company, and used that deception to secure a loan with a financial institution.

Lionel Tanaka Zvarivadza is being accused of this fraudulent act in which the financial institution lost US$91,500.

He was arrested last week.

According to the police, he entered into an agreement with the financial institution to get a loan for the ‘employees’ of the security firm.

Under the deal, the loans would be given to these ‘workers’ at a monthly interest rate.

The security company was then expected to deduct the repayments from its ‘employees’ salaries’ and remit them to the lender.

After getting forged confirmation letters, the financial institution disbursed loans ranging from US$1,000 to US$5,000.

The lender later discovered that the loans were not being repaid.

After contacting the security company, the company found out that the ‘employees’ were not on the firm’s payroll.

It also found out that no such arrangement was authorised by the security firm.

A police report was filed and Zvarivadza was arrested last week.

In a statement, CID spokesperson, Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri, said:

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirm the arrest of one suspect for fraud as defined in Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and for contravening Section 8(1)(a) and (b) of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act (Chapter 9:24).

“The Zimbabwe Republic Police continue to urge the transacting public to be wary of fraudsters who masquerade as legitimate agents and to verify their authenticity before making any transaction.”

The post MAN RECRUITS 35 PEOPLE, FOOLS FINANCIAL INSTITUTION INTO BELIEVING THEY ARE EMPLOYEES OF A SECURITY FIRM, STEALS US$91,5k  appeared first on Zimbabwe Situation.

Source: All set for national heroes’ triple burial – herald

Wallace Ruzvidzo

Herald Reporter

President Mnangagwa will today preside over the burial of three national heroes, Major-General (Retired) Herbert Chingono, Cde Cosmas Chiringa and war veteran Cde Elison Mupamawonde, at the National Heroes Acre, in a ceremony honouring their contributions to the liberation struggle and national service.

Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Permanent Secretary Ambassador Raphael Faranisi told The Herald yesterday that authorities had completed preparations for the triple burial.

“The preparations are done and everything is set for the triple burial tomorrow (today).

“The remains of the late national heroes are at the Charles Gumbo Barrack (awaiting interment),” he said.

This will be Zimbabwe’s fourth triple burial, with the previous three having been held on January 26, 2021; April 29, 2024; and January 22, 2025.

The first was when Lieutenant General (Retired) Sibusiso Moyo, Cde Joel Biggie Matiza and Major General (Retired) Paradzai Zimondi were laid to rest.

The second was for the interment of Cde Nash Nyasha Dzimiri, Brigadier General Shadreck Vezha and Cde Tsitsi Grace Jadagu.

The most recent was for Major General (Retired) Solomon Siziba, Cde Chenhamo Chakezha Chimutengwende and Ambassador John Shumba Mvundura.

Major General (Retired) Chingono, a decorated veteran of the liberation struggle, died on March 15 at his Pentland Farm home in Mazowe from diabetes related complications.

He was 68.

Born in 1958 in Rukweza village, Makoni district, Manicaland, he was educated at Nyazura Adventist Mission before joining the liberation struggle.

He crossed into Mozambique for military training and served in the Nyanga and Gandanzara operational areas. Known by his Chimurenga name, Cde Swift Chakanyuka, Maj Gen Chingono is survived by his wife, Loyse, and six children.

His remains lay in state at Charles Gumbo Barracks in Harare ahead of burial today.

Cde Cosmas Chiringa, who served as Permanent Secretary for Harare Provincial Affairs and Devolution, died of heart failure on March 9 at the age of 67.

His body was brought from his rural home in Nyanga via Backshill Farm in Nyazura last week and before lying is state at Charles Gumbo Barracks.

War veteran Cde Elison Mupamawonde was born in Sohwe, Muzarabani, in 1950 and joined the liberation struggle in 1972, travelling to Zambia via Botswana.

He received training in Morogoro, Tanzania, in 1973 and in 1974 was chosen for specialised artillery training in Ukraine under the leadership of Cde Alfred Nikita Mangena.

Returning home in 1975, he took part in significant military operations during the struggle, including involvement in the February 1979 downing of an Air Rhodesia Viscount.

Crowds are set to flock to the National Heroes Acre as Zimbabwe prepares to observe its fourth ever triple burial since gaining independence.

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Source: Towards energy self-sufficiency – herald

Trust Freddy

Herald Correspondent

The Government is facilitating the fast-tracking of the Muzarabani Oil and Gas project, designating it a critical pillar for national energy security and import substitution amid volatile global markets and Middle East conflicts.

The Deputy Minister of Mines and Mining Development responsible for Oil and Gas Research and Other Strategic Minerals, Engineer Caleb Makwiranzou, told the Senate last Thursday that the project, located in the Cahora Bassa Basin, in Mbire has reached a critical “inflection point” following the finalisation of the Petroleum Production Sharing Agreement (PPSA).

The PPSA establishes a stable, transparent, and internationally competitive legal and fiscal framework, providing the definitive groundwork for Invictus Energy to transition from exploration to production.

“This agreement is long-awaited and establishes a framework upon which we can work,” Dr Makwiranzou said. The Muzarabani project is currently the most advanced oil and gas initiative in the country.”

He also confirmed that extensive seismic surveys and the drilling of the Mukuyu 1 and Mukuyu 2 wells have already confirmed the presence of hydrocarbons.

Development is currently centred on the Musuma 1 site, where massive well pads are being constructed.

Site preparation is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter, after which drilling and equipment installation will begin.

At the Mukuyu gas field, an appraisal programme is underway to delineate the size of the field and determine the quality of the hydrocarbons.

Citing the Middle East crisis, he revealed that an inter-ministerial task force is now overseeing the project’s acceleration.

“Indeed, the conflict is affecting us and we are taking every step to move as quickly as possible,” he said.

“Working as the whole of Government, we have a committee which consists of the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion, the Ministry of Energy and Power Development and the Ministry of Mines and Mining Development.

“The definitive action we have taken is to encourage Invictus because oil extraction is a huge project.

“We have to encourage it to work with other players and this is why we got Mutapa to be involved, and Mutapa is now working with us and also sometimes having to input some resources.

“Certainly, the requests that are made by that group of extractors, we are working on them immediately to make sure that they move and we do not stand in their way.”

The project is expected to complement Zimbabwe’s hydroelectric and solar capacity, providing a reliable “base-load” power source to support industrialisation.

Dr Makwiranzou also added that Zimbabwe was uniquely positioned to become a regional energy hub due to its proximity to Mozambique’s existing gas infrastructure.

This allows for potential joint ventures under the Southern African Power Pool.

“The global energy crisis has renewed international focus on diversifying supply sources,” he added. For Zimbabwe, this presents significant opportunities for energy security and, importantly, import substitution.”

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Source: MAN JAILED 20 YEARS FOR RAPING STEPDAUGTER WHILE HER MUM WAS ASLEEP ON THE SAME BED – herald

Paul Pindani in CHINHOYI

A MAN from Mutorashanga has been jailed for raping his four-year-old stepdaughter while her mother was asleep on the same bed.

Lovemore Kondo, 27, of Plot 2 Doonside Farm in Mutorashanga, was convicted by Chinhoyi regional magistrate, Amos Mbobo.

He was jailed for 20 years.

Prosecutor Jeffrey Makoni told the court that on a date unknown to the prosecutor, but in the month of December last year, the minor shared a room with her mother and Kondo. The court heard Kondo slept between the minor and her mother.

He woke up during the night and told the juvenile that he wanted to put his fingers into her private parts and told her not to cry.

He abused the juvenile and when she tried to cry, he closed her mouth with his hand.

The following morning, she told her mother about the abuse but she ignored her.

She then disclosed the abuse to her grandmother. She was taken to Mutorashanga clinic where it was observed that the minor had been abused.

A report was filed at Mutorashanga police base and she was referred to Banket district hospital for medical examinations.

Kondo was arrested.

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Source: Zim, South Korea in info partnership – herald

Trust Freddy

Herald Correspondent

The Government has commissioned a US$350 000 National Information Access Centre at the Zimbabwe Open University, a project intended to anchor the country’s transition to a competitive digital economy through artificial intelligence and high-end ICT innovation.

The high-tech facility, established through a bilateral agreement with the Republic of South Korea, was officially opened last week on Friday by Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Minister, Dr Frederick Shava.

Equipped with cutting-edge infrastructure, including an Nvidia Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) powered AI server, the centre positions the country to become a regional hub for AI education and tech entrepreneurship.

The NIAC will host an AI Innovation Lab, a digital content studio, an inclusive library with assistive technologies for students with disabilities and a global connectivity suite for virtual international collaboration.

Speaking at the ceremony, Dr Shava described the hub as a practical realisation of Heritage-Based Education 5.0, the policy framework championed by President Mnangagwa to drive industrialisation through homegrown solutions.

“This is a platform where learning is applied, where research is translated into solutions, and where community needs shape innovation,” said Dr Shava.

“With the addition of an Nvidia GPU-powered AI server, the centre now positions Zimbabwe as a first mover in AI education innovation. This infrastructure enables practical AI training, advanced analytics, and support for youth tech-entrepreneurship.”

Dr Shava added that the project aligns with the President’s “Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabanikazi balo” philosophy, framing the NIAC as a model for debt-free development rooted in local heritage and strategic international partnerships.

South Korean Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Park Jae Kyung, hailed the partnership as a “concrete example” of how the two nations can collaborate to strengthen higher education and create a supportive environment for the youth.

“It is a concrete example of how Korea and Zimbabwe can work together to strengthen higher education, promote innovation and create a supportive environment for young people across the country.

“By combining expertise, funding, and practical guidance, this collaboration can have a lasting impact on Zimbabwe’s students and universities.”

ZOU Vice Chancellor Professor Emeritus Paul Henry Gundani confirmed the NIAC’s resources, while stationed at the Hatcliffe campus, will be accessible to the wider community and the university’s ten regional campuses.

“We are reaching out specifically to local youth and all citizens interested in enhancing their digital literacy,” Prof Gundani said.

“The centre is equipped with smart boards and assistive devices, ensuring we remain inclusive of individuals who are differently-abled.”

Officials said the NIAC will support practical AI training, advanced analytics and entrepreneurship programmes that target youth skills development and boost the country’s ICT capacity.

The centre is expected to foster research translation, strengthen regional collaboration and expand opportunities for the country’s students and start-ups to engage with global innovation networks.

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