Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
A 23-YEAR-OLD man who created a WhatsApp group with over 900 members in a bid to leak the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council (ZIMSEC) Ordinary and Advanced level June examination papers appeared in court yesterday.
Tadiwanashe Frank Chiminya, from Mbizo in Kwekwe, who is a student at a Polytechnic college, was charged with fraud when he appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo.
The name of his institution was not stated in court papers.
The complainant in the case is ZIMSEC.
The State presented evidence through investigating officer Detective Constable Inspector Sizinkosi Ncube, who strongly opposed bail.
Det Con Insp Ncube argued that Chiminya’s actions had forced ZIMSEC to halt the printing of examination papers to allow police investigations into the sources of the intended leak.
He said the accused had a high propensity to abscond as he is facing a serious offence adding that he took over six hours refusing to unlock his phone.
Following submissions from both the prosecution and defence, the court reserved the bail ruling to Thursday.
According to the prosecution, led by Ms Nomsa Kangara, Chiminya allegedly created a WhatsApp group named June 2025 ZIMSEC Group and Exam Papers in November 2024, using an Econet mobile number, 0787815406.
He falsely claimed to possess leaked ZIMSEC examination papers for both Ordinary and Advanced Level students.
The court heard that Chiminya solicited payments for the leaked papers, instructing group members to make electronic payments to an Innbucks account linked to Admire Magaya, who could be reached on 0784128996.
ZIMSEC representatives reportedly received a tip-off about the WhatsApp group and joined it via an invite link.
Upon investigating, they discovered that Chiminya was tarnishing ZIMSEC’s image and reputation by misrepresenting himself as a source of leaked exam papers.
They subsequently reported the matter to the police. On April 12, Chiminya was arrested at his residence in Kwekwe.
Police recovered an iPhone and two SIM cards—Econet lines 0787815406 and 0784128996—used in the alleged crime.
Additionally, a Tecno Spark 9 phone with a NetOne line, as well as the WhatsApp group, were seized as evidence.
The prosecution said Chiminya’s actions caused significant prejudice to ZIMSEC’s reputation and its administration processes.
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