By 
By Ross Moyo
Zimbabwe’s largest Mobile Network Operator (MNO) by subscriber base, Econet Wireless Zimbabwe (EWZ) Routine Review of Airtime Purchases recently Exposed Ecocash Usd$54 863 Theft.
This alleged fraud came to light during the routine review of airtime purchases on the EcoCash platform whose discovery led to the blocking of the suspect’s line and a police report, resulting in the alleged trio’s arrest who are apparently related airtime vendors.
The vendors include Marvelous Nyamutamba (41) who used her line to transact 312 ecocash airtime transactions amounting to US$39 595, while Mitchelle Nyamutamba (28) used her line to transact 260 airtime purchases totaling US$14 282 and Panashe Muhonde(29) used his line to transact US$986 worth of airtime.
The trio were held in remand prison over the weekend and granted US$150 bail each on Wednesday last week.
They were ordered to reside at their given addresses and avoid any contact with witnesses as part of their bail conditions with the case set to continue on May 28 after the notorious Three airtime vendors, appeared before a Mutare magistrate on Friday after allegedly stealing a total US$54,863 through an EcoCash airtime transfer scam which have already been specifically mentioned as in how much each individual defrauded Zimbabwe’s all-time biggest MNO.
The eldest Marvelous Nyamutamba, youngest Mitchelle Nyamutamba, and second eldest Panashe Muhonde are accused of exploiting a system glitch that allowed them to transfer airtime without any deductions from their own accounts. Instead, each transfer credited the intended recipient, effectively duplicating the funds.
State prosecutor Chris Manyuku, alleged the theft occurred between January and April 2025, after Marvelous Nyamutamba discovered the flaw and shared it with the others with the money reportedly stolen from Zimbabwe’s leading telcos Econet Wireless (Pvt) Ltd.
The three have been charged with theft under Section 113(1) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23).
Prosecutor Manyuku stated in court, “During these periods, the three accused made different transactions in the form of airtime, which resulted in Econet Wireless (Pvt) Ltd Zimbabwe losing US$54 863.”
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