THE Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz) lost more than US$9 000 after a Harare woman hacked into the authority’s system.
Wadzanai Mutungura (33) was remanded to February 11 on US$100 by Harare magistrate Rufaro Panavanhu.
Prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi alleged that sometime in October last year, Potraz wanted to conduct a three-day workshop for 60 members at a lodge in Harare with the bookings pegged at US$9 064.
On October 7, Potraz communicated with Wild Geese Lodge through email address and they supplied their banking details into which the money was to be deposited.
The court heard that while the complainant was processing the payment, Mutungura allegedly connived with her accomplices Patricia Shumbahuru and Kudzai Fred, who are already on remand, to intercept the communication.
The trio allegedly sent an email to Potraz advising that Wild Geese Lodge had revised their banking details and gave details belonging to Mutungura’s niece.
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Potraz transferred US$9 064 from their bank account to details supplied by Mutungura.
On October 8, Potraz reportedly communicated with Mukudzei Murenga from Wild Geese Lodge making a follow-up on the payment and it was discovered that the payment had been made into a wrong account.
The authority made a report to the police, leading to arrest of the accused persons.