United Refineries fraud, ghost worker scam Zimbabwe, US$186000 fraud case, Harare court news, fraud and forgery Zimbabwe, Shingai Mabena case, microfinance fraud Zimbabwe, fake payslips scam, salary loan fraud, Zimbabwe crime news, corporate fraud Zimbabwe, financial crime Harare, United Refineries case, court sentencing Zimbabwe, fraud investigation Zimbabwe, Lenderspark Finance case, Club Plus loans fraud, ghost employees scam, workplace fraud Zimbabwe, employee fraud case, Zimbabwe legal news, company fraud case, internal investigation Zimbabwe, financial institutions fraud, loan scam Zimbabwe, prosecution Zimbabwe, court proceedings Harare, fraud charges Zimbabwe, criminal case Zimbabwe, business fraud news. Mabena created fake employees to obtain loans from two institutions. The fraud was uncovered after internal investigations and lender inquiries. He has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
A United Refineries Limited employee has pleaded guilty to defrauding two microfinance institutions of US$186,279.18 through a ghost worker scheme, a court heard yesterday. Shingai Takunda Mabena (45) appeared before regional magistrate Mr Shingi Mutero facing charges of fraud and forgery.
Mabena admitted to all counts and is expected to be sentenced today (Tuesday). The court heard that the offences were committed over several months in 2024.
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In aggravation, prosecutor Mr Owen Mugari said the offence was serious and involved a significant amount of money. “He was in a position of trust and stole from his employer. He benefitted from the offence and nothing was recovered. I pray for a custodial sentence,” he told the court.
According to the State, between May 2024 and December 2024, Mabena created fictitious personnel files for 12 non-existent employees. These documents falsely indicated that the individuals were employed by United Refineries and were eligible for loans.
The court heard that Mabena generated fake payslips, employment letters and supporting documents, which he used to secure loans from a Harare-based microfinance institution. Through this method, he obtained US$81,402.48.
The fraud came to light after a tip-off was received by the company’s chief finance officer. An internal investigation was launched, which revealed that the supposed loan beneficiaries were not part of the company’s workforce.
Further investigations showed that Mabena had also used forged documents to secure additional loans from Lenderspark Finance Company. He created false proof of employment and applied for salary-based loans on behalf of the ghost workers.
From Lenderspark Finance Company, Mabena obtained US$104,876.70, which he diverted to his personal use. The fraud was discovered after the company received emails demanding repayment of the loans.
In response, the chief finance officer informed the lender that the company had no knowledge of the loans and did not employ the individuals in question. A police report was then filed, leading to Mabena’s arrest.
In a victim impact statement, a United Refineries representative identified as Ms Musona said the company suffered financial loss and reputational damage. “The company suffered financial loss and its reputation was ruined as the two financial institutions stated that we employed a fraudster in Mabena. The company was sued by the two financial institutions,” she said.
Mabena remains in custody and is awaiting sentencing.
