Kenyan Woman Charged with Hacking into Zimbabwe Gov't Agency's Database, Stealing $20 Million

A Kenyan national was on Thursday charged with hacking the Zimbabwe Manpower Development Fund (Zimdef) systems and syphoning $20 million from its bank account.

Primrose Nyeri Mwangi, who is the director of Primkett Travels, was charged with fraud at the Harare Magistrates Court, Zimbabwean publication NewsDay reports.

She was denied bail and was ordered to return to court on Friday for a bail application hearing.

The 40-year-old Kenyan is alleged to have connived with Gerald Pondai and Prosper Hove, who are still at large, and hacked into the Zimdef database in December last.

The three allegedly accessed Zimdef bank accounts and used the Zeepay ZimSwitch system to transfer $20 million into Maffkett Trading’s Steward Bank account.

They also transferred various amounts into Atrier Engineering CBZ Bank, Newplaces (Pvt) Limited NBS Bank and Tavaka Holdings accounts.

The prosecution alleges that Nyeri then used the money transferred into her company’s account to purchase bulk cooking oil.

The offense came to light on December 28th when Zimdef, the complainant in the case, received an email from a whistle-blower detailing the fraud.

In addition to the fraud charges, Njeri is also accused of violating the conditions of her tourist visa by working or conducting business in Zimbabwe.

Her visitor’s entry certificate gave her just one month as a tourist between December 14th and January 14th.

Comments

This is the real Affirmative…

Menye (not verified) Fri, 01/06/2023 @ 08:44pm

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This is the real Affirmative action.Is the $20m Zimbabwe or US dollars?The lady will con or bribe her way to freedom.

I nominate primerose Njeri…

Maxiley (not verified) Fri, 01/06/2023 @ 09:15pm

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I nominate primerose Njeri Mwangi for the FEMME FATALE award of this month.So far 4 women are in contention.Just in case you forgot,this award in intended to dispel the false notion society has held for so long that women are soft, gentle,passive,and all loving.And men are brutes,aggressive,violators,thugs and all around bad.These are generalizations of course,but they carry a truck load of truths on both sides.
Going by crime reports we have this week alone,I think its safe to conclude that women have outdone men.Never before in the history of Kenya has this ever happened.
Folks, is there any wonder that our society is going to the dogs?Here I have to aptly resort to my popular quote," If baba na mama are in jail who will raise the children". Time when man was the only "criminal jailed",at least mama could hold the fort ,even if barely.
You go to track and field events,In Kenya men and women are doping in equal measure.I was about to celebrate the news that Kenya dodged the bullet and avoided getting banned from international participation, only to be saddened by the news that putting screws on athletes as has been directed will reveal more dopers.Wow!I need my Heineken.What say you people? Any bright spots in sight?