The matter came to light after police separately arrested
seven suspects in Harare who are linked to the scam.
Police have also recovered various ZRP fake date stamps for
several officers-in-charge of the traffic section which the suspects were using
to forge documents to claim money from insurance companies.
The suspects are the director of Panel Tech Motors, Henrics
Providence Dhonga (30), Lloyd Makuzva (45) who is the company’s operations
manager, Reality Njabulo Chuma (30) an insurance broker, Moheleza Kihahila (27)
who is self-employed, Tinevimbo Clarence Marufu (31) who is employed by
Tinogold Clothing Shop, Kudakwashe Kennedy Nyandoro (32), a surveyor with Forit
Contractors Company, Onward Dewa (49) who was a salesman at the Bridge Car
Sales in Groombridge and another suspect only identified as Munyaradzi Ramewa
who is still at large.
Some of the suspects have since appeared in court while
others are assisting with investigations. It is alleged that sometime in May
this year, Dhonga was approached by Munyaradzi Ramewa who told him that his
vehicle was involved in an accident and was parked at his house in Mutare and
asked him to repair it.
On May 16, Dhonga is alleged to have insured Ramewa’s car,
a white VW Touareg for US$90 000 through Chuma and the insurance had an expiry
date of August 31, 2022.
On August 14, Dhonga and Ramewa went to Mutare where they
stage managed an accident involving the VW Touareg vehicle as a sole party.
They then proceeded to ZRP Mutare Traffic to make a false
report. It is alleged that on September 20, the two then made an insurance
claim through Chuma to the effect that the car had been extensively damaged on
its front, suspension, engine and gear box.
The case came to light when Old Mutual Insurance Company
officials discovered that the photos that were sent by Dhonga and Ramewa to
them were different from those taken by a towing company, Road Angels, at the
scene. A report was made.
Further investigations by police revealed that in May 2022, Chuma had contacted one
Debbie Tapera Dhonga who wanted his
Nissan Tiida vehicle (AFR 9992) to be re-painted.
During the same month, Dhonga sent one of his employees to
collect the Nissan Tiida, which was parked at his company premises.
Dhonga is alleged to have instructed his employee to side
swipe the Nissan Tiida with a maroon Landcruiser belonging to one of his
clients resulting in the Nissan Tiida having a scratch on the driver’s side as
well as on the fenders.
On May 15, 2022, Dhonga filled in a Cell Insurance Company
claim alleging that the Nissan Tiida had been involved in an accident at the
intersection of Jason Moyo Avenue and Julius Nyerere Way in Harare with a
Toyota Passo (AEH 9457).
The Toyota Passo belonged to Talent Mercy Muskwe who had a
third party insurance under Alliance Insurance.
However, Dhonga then used a fake police date stamp to
authenticate the claim forms which they submitted to the insurance company but
the matter came to light when the officials received a tip-off that the
documents were fake.
Acting on a tip off last Saturday, police arrested Dhonga
and Makuzva at their workplace before they led detectives to the recovery of
various police stamps in a black satchel at the back seat of a Mazda CX5 (AFF
1002).
The recovered stamps are for Mutengi and Nkomo Attorneys,
Member-in-Charge ZRP Chitungwiza Traffic, Officer-in-Charge ZRP Chegutu,
Officer-in-Charge Operations ZRP Southerton Traffic, ZRP Traffic Marondera,
Officer-in-Charge Administration Avondale Traffic, Officer-in-Charge ZRP
Traffic Process, ZRP Warren Park Traffic in of Charge Crime, the
Officer-in-Charge ZRP Norton, Member-in-Charge Crime ZRP Mbare Traffic and a
plain date stamp.
On Sunday, police also arrested Chuma after he was
implicated in the scam.
They appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi on
Monday who denied Dhonga bail while Makuzva and Chuma were granted $50 000 bail
each.
Further investigations revealed that sometime in January,
the other suspect, Kihahila was involved in an accident while driving an
unregistered Mazda Atenza and he then approached Dhonga and Makuzva who
promised to help him have full cover insurance for his car.
They then made a false claim at Old Mutual Insurance
company before completing an insurance claim form through the insurance broker,
Chuma alleging that Kihahila had an accident with a Toyota Camry and a Ford
Ranger.
The suspects also made a false report at ZRP Southerton
Traffic and Kihahila reported that his vehicle had been extensively damaged on
the boot, boot lights, the whole left side, front lights, bumper back, bumper
front, grille and bonnet.
The insurance company then paid US$7 000 cash to Kihahila
before they were tipped about the scam leading to the arrest of the suspect.
Also on February 22, the fifth suspect, Marufu was involved
in an accident with a woman driving a Mercedes Benz while he was driving his VW
Golf 6 GTI (AFD 1478), which had a third party insurance cover.
The scene was attended by police before Marufu towed the
car to his house. At the end of February, Marufu was linked to Dhonga again
who, again using the same modus operandi, claimed full insurance through Old
Mutual, claiming US$9 000.
Marufu was later arrested for the offence.
The other suspects, Nyandoro was assisted to claim
insurance from Old Mutual for his Nissan Sunny (AFH 4318) for US$1 200 when it
had not been involved in an accident.
The seventh suspect, Dewa was involved in an accident on
Arcturus Road near Support Unit Chikuribi, Harare while driving his Toyota Mark
II (AEL 2838) and he later had the vehicle towed to his home.
He was referred to Dhonga who falsely made an insurance
claim from Old Mutual Insurance alleging that on May 28, Nyandoro was involved
in an accident along Prince Edward Road in Harare with Marufu who was driving a
VW Golf 6 (AFD 1478), claiming insurance amounting to US$2 000. Herald
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