Two suspected hackers, Ngonidzashe Lison Dhubiyo (29) and Terrence Mashumba (38) appeared before Harare Magistrate Isheunesu Matova on Friday, facing charges of fraud and money laundering, reported <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200038652/duo-in-court-for-defrauding-money-transfer-firm-of-us220k">NewsDay</a>.
The two are accused of hacking into the Forex Access system, a money transfer company, and fraudulently withdrawing US$220,000.
The complainant in the case is Access Forex (Pvt) Ltd, represented by auditor Patson Makina. The company specializes in sending and receiving money internationally.
Dhubiyo is employed by another money transfer firm in Mutare, while Mashumba works for the Ministry of Agriculture at Forbes Border Post in Mutare. The two accused persons were remanded in custody until Monday for bail consideration.
<h2>The Allegations</h2>
Prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi alleged that in January 2023, the two men, along with an accomplice named Tinashe Jonah Sithole (who is still at large), conspired to defraud Access Forex.
The accused gained unauthorised access to the company’s money remittance platform and created fake transactions that appeared to originate from the United Kingdom.
These transactions were processed and withdrawn by the accused, despite no actual money being sent from the UK.
Between January and October 2023, the accused sent the fraudulent funds to their personal mobile number accounts in Zimbabwe.
They then collected the money from Access Forex locations across the country. In total, they managed to send and collect US$220,065.
<h2>Proceeds of the Alleged Crime</h2>
After collecting the stolen money, the accused used it to buy vehicles and household electronics.
The fraud was discovered when Access Forex audited its system. The two suspects were arrested in Mutare, and two vehicles—a Toyota Hiace and a Nissan Note—purchased with the stolen funds were recovered.

Pindula News

Two men, Ngonidzashe Lison Dhubiyo and Terrence Mashumba, are accused of hacking into a money transfer company and stealing $220,000. They created fake transactions to withdraw money. They spent the stolen money on vehicles and electronics. They were caught when the company audited its system. The men were arrested and two vehicles bought with the stolen money were recovered. They are now facing charges of fraud and money laundering.

Two Arrested For Hacking Forex Access System And Stealing US$220,000

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe has firmly denied claims that it had been hacked and that customer records containing sensitive information, such as full names, addresses, Twitter handles, and mobile numbers, were stolen and subsequently sold.
The allegations were made by cybersecurity watchdog FalconFeeds.io, which reported that over 852,000 customer records had been leaked. The group posted on X:
<blockquote>
<h2>Data Breach Alert: Econet Wireless Zimbabwe</h2>
A threat actor claims to be selling the database of Econet Wireless Zimbabwe (http://econet.co.zw). The leaked data includes 852,791 customer records containing full names, emails, addresses, Twitter , mobile numbers, and more.
</blockquote>
According to <a href="https://www.techzim.co.zw/2025/02/econet-refutes-data-breach-claims-says-no-hack-detected/">TechZim</a>, the alleged threat actor, identified as Thaihub, is said to have listed the stolen database for sale with a small charge of $299.
In recent days, several Econet subscribers reported being contacted by suspicious people on WhatsApp, leading them to suspect that their contact details might have been sourced from Thaihub’s purported leak.
However, in a statement to TechZim, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe reassured customers that it had thoroughly investigated the claims and found no evidence of a breach. The statement reads:
<blockquote>
<h2>Econet statement on alleged customer data breach</h2>
Econet Wireless Zimbabwe is aware of a social media post first made on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday (February 4, 2025) claiming that a threat actor was selling part of the Econet’s subscriber list containing 852 791 customer records.
Our internal investigations, which started immediately on the day the allegations were made, have detected no breach on our systems that would lead to unauthorised access to sensitive customer data, that is not already in the public domain or accessible through third parties.
However, because we take claims of any breach of our systems very seriously, the moment the allegations were first reported, we activated our incident management processes, working alongside international cybersecurity experts, and have been monitoring our systems 24/7 to ensure heightened security of our business systems and the privacy of our customers’ sensitive data.
We have also kept our regulators and relevant authorities informed.
</blockquote>

Econet Wireless Zimbabwe says they were not hacked and customer data was not stolen. A group claimed they leaked over 852,000 customer records, but Econet denies this. They investigated and found no evidence of a breach. Some people reported getting strange messages on WhatsApp, leading to suspicions of data leakage. Econet reassures customers they take security seriously and are monitoring their systems to keep data safe. They are working with experts to ensure privacy and security for customers. Econet has also informed regulators about the situation.

Econet Refutes Hack Claims And Data Breach

Chinese state-sponsored hackers allegedly breached the US Treasury Department’s systems, accessing employee workstations and unclassified documents.
The Treasury Department classified the breach as a “major incident” and notified lawmakers, and said it is working with the FBI and other agencies to assess the hack’s impacts.
However, China denied any involvement, calling the accusation “baseless” and saying it “consistently opposes all forms of hacking”.
This incident adds to a series of several security breaches in the US attributed to China, including a telecoms hack in December.
Officials said the compromised third-party service – called BeyondTrust – has since been taken offline. There was no evidence to suggest the hacker had continued to access Treasury Department information since, according to the statement.
The department said it had been working with the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and third-party forensic investigators to determine the overall impact.
Officials said initial investigations suggested the hack appeared to have been carried out by “a China-based Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) actor”.
A spokesperson told the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3weye2j0e7o">BBC</a> that the Treasury was alerted to the hack on December 8; suspicious activity was first detected on December 2.
According to the company, the suspicious activity was first spotted on 2 December, but it took three days for the company to determine it had been hacked.
The spokesperson said the hackers were able to remotely access several Treasury user workstations and some unclassified documents that were kept by those users.
The hackers are believed to have been seeking information rather than trying to steal funds.
China’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning denied the US claims, telling a news briefing these were “baseless accusations lacking evidence”. Said Mao:
<blockquote>
China consistently opposes all forms of hacking and firmly rejects the dissemination of false information targeting China for political purposes.
</blockquote>
The US has not provided concrete evidence linking China to the hack.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Chinese hackers broke into the US Treasury Department's system and took documents. The Treasury Department called it a big problem and told the FBI. China said they didn't do it. This is not the first time China has been blamed for hacking the US. The hackers used a service called BeyondTrust, but that service is now offline. The hack was discovered on December 2, but it took a few days to confirm. China denies it all and the US has no proof.

US Treasury Says Chinese Hackers Breached Systems And Stole Documents

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) X (Twitter) account has been hacked, the commission’s spokesperson, Thandiwe Mlobane, has said.
In a statement issued on June 21, Mlobane said that ZACC is making efforts to recover the account. She said:
<blockquote>
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission wishes to inform the public and all key stakeholders of a security breach on the @ZACConline X account. The Commission is currently not in control of the account. The last official post was made on Thursday, 20 June 2024 at 18:25. Efforts to recover the account are underway. The public and all key stakeholders are urged to disregard any communications that may be posted on the @ZACConline X account, until further notice.
The Commission reaffirms its commitment to eradicate the scourge of corruption and ensure the national development aspirations are attained within set timelines.
</blockquote>
In several posts on Sunday afternoon, the alleged hacker wrote:
<blockquote>
We must temper our excitement; we’re contending with an unscrupulous regime. The recent @ZECzim 
statement is a masterstroke of impunity, an opus of lies that boggle the mind. @advocatemahere has already laid bare the stark contrasts between their statements &amp; the undeniable facts
Let me start by detailing the entire @wicknellchivayo scandal. Mukuru arikudya kwese, Sir and the @ZECzim Chair are romantically involved. How Scott ignited the deal and ended up a passenger after cutting Chigumba her $250k at DaVinci in Sandton.
</blockquote>
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission's X Account Hacked

The President of Malawi, Lazarus Chakwera, says his government will not pay any ransom to individuals who hacked the system at the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services.
As reported by <a href="https://www.nyasatimes.com/chakwera-confirms-immigration-system-hacked-but-challenges-hackers-government-wont-pay-ransom/">Nyasa Times</a>, Chakwera told MPs in the National Assembly on Wednesday that the hackers who tempered with the system are demanding huge amounts of money.
Chakwera said instead of paying the ransom, the government would find other means of resolving the glitches. He said:
<blockquote>
For as long as I am President of this country, I will not allow the government to pay such an amount.
</blockquote>
He added that the department was already taking decisive steps to regain control of the system.
For the past week, Malawi’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services has not been able to print passports due to the system failure, leaving travellers stranded.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Malawi Immigration System Hacked, President Chakwera Refuses To Pay Ransom

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) says its official website was hacked recently and the hackers posted information that is “patently false and meant to mislead members of the public.”
In a statement issued on Monday, 21 November, JSC said information that has been shared by “Team Pachedu” purportedly taken from its website was posted by “intruders” and therefore false. Part of the statement reads:
<blockquote>
It has come to our attention that there is a Twitter handle, @PacheduZW, operated by what is referred to as ‘Team Pachedu’ which has been sharing some information that they purport to have uplifted from the JSC website.
We wish to inform the public that the information they are sharing which they purport to have accessed through the JSC website is false. We state hereunder some of the false narratives;
Kudzanai Machemedze is not and has never been employed by the Judicial Service Commission.
He was studying towards a BSc Information Systems Honours Degree with the Midlands State University and he applied for Industrial attachment with the JSC on 5 May 2021.
He was on attachment as a student with the JSC from May 2021 to November 2021. He was a student on training, he, therefore, did not have the capacity at all to design or build websites, let alone be involved in JSC procurement processes.
During the COVID-19 era, there were travel restrictions imposed by the Government to contain, combat and prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Courts were declared essential services and members of staff were therefore required to go to work.
For ease of travel, members of the Judicial Service were issued with letters which they would produce to the authorities.
These letters were given in hard copy form and were never posted on the JSC website because they are not part of the regular information shared on the public domain by the JSC.
Whilst we are unable to confirm whether or not one such letter was issued to Mr Machemedze during his time of attachment, we are certain that no such letters were ever posted on our website as alleged.
The quotations and billing invoices which are being attributed to the JSC by Team Pachedu were allegedly issued in 2020.
Without admitting that they are genuine, these documents were issued well before Kudzanai Machemedze started his industrial attachment with the JSC in May 2021.
In any case, Kudzanai Machemedze was never engaged by the JSC as a software developer, neither did he participate in building the JSC website.
He was a student on training, he therefore did not have the capacity to execute such a task as alleged.
The Judicial Service Commission never procured any services for cyber security as alleged. Even if it did, the Judicial Service Commission follows laid down procurement processes which do not involve assigning students on attachment to do procurement on its behalf.
Procurement documents are delivered in hard copy form and subjected to rigorous procurement processes before they are submitted for payment through a Government payment system known as Paynet. This process and the documents thereto are not posted on the JSC website.
The allegations that we received and posted on our website an invoice of USD $119 450 for cyber security are therefore false.
Government through treasury never paid for the alleged USD$119 450.
The information purported to have been accessed on the JSC website by ‘Team Pachedu’ has not been accessed from official information on the JSC website but has been posted by ill-meaning intruders to spin their malicious narrative.
The contents of that information are patently false and meant to mislead members of the public.
The JSC has since launched full scale investigations into the unauthorized intrusion into its website.
Finally, we wish to assure members of the public that the Judicial Service Commission servers are secure.
</blockquote>

Judicial Service Commission Says Its Official Website Was Hacked

Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Deputy Minister, Tinoda Machakaire said he recently lost R600 000 after his bank account was hacked.
Machakaire, who is also Wedza South MP (ZANU PF), said the thieves also took control of his mobile line, blocked him, and gave instructions to companies using the hacked mobile line.
The hackers allegedly used Machakaire’s mobile number to send instructions to his company, Tinmac Motors, to make payments to accounts in South Africa at different intervals.
They also reportedly instructed some drivers of the Minister’s fleet of trucks to take up commercial loads to various destinations around the country.
Machakaire confirmed the development and told Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) that a team from his company had made a police report and had some leads on the suspects. He said:
<blockquote>Yes, I indeed lost R600 000 to criminals after they hacked my mobile line and used it to send instructions to my company instructing them to make payments to companies and accounts in South Africa.</blockquote>
Machakaire said that he had leads on who received the money and some more pertinent information. He said:
<blockquote>I have the names and account numbers that were used to receive the money in South Africa.</blockquote>
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi said he was yet to get full details on the matter.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/minister-loses-r600-000/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Herald</a></h4>

Deputy Minister Loses R600 000 To Hackers

The government is working on a locally developed software to protect officials’ virtual meetings from being hacked.
This comes after hackers posted adult content during the Meteorological Services Department event on the National Climate Outlook Forum meeting that was held on Zoom last week.
Permanent Secretary for Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services, Engineer Sam Kundishora, told The Herald last week that trial runs on a locally developed software -TrueConf – was underway. He said:
<blockquote>We are working on a video conferencing and messaging application, and we are testing the system.
Zoom is hosted and managed outside Zimbabwe when notices to host meetings are distributed they might end up in wrong hands who might use such to get access to the meetings.</blockquote>
Governments across the world have banned unnecessary travelling and gatherings to curb the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the new coronavirus that causes the respiratory disease called COVID-19.
As a result, there has been a jump in demand for technology that allows for virtual meetings.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.herald.co.zw/govt-moves-to-thwart-hackers/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Herald</a></h4>

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