Harare Businesswoman in Court Over $370k illegal Forex Transfers
Prominent local businesswoman Tariro Masiwa Musekiwa, the director of Chrisha Boutique, was granted US$300 bail by the regional court on Wednesday after being accused of illegally moving hundreds of thousands of US dollars without central bank approval.
Musekiwa, who appeared before regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa, faces two counts of contravening the Exchange Control Act. The charges relate to alleged unauthorized foreign currency transactions totaling US$371,626.
Also Read: RBZ Announces Tough New US$100K Penalty For Forex Offenders
The Textile Import Scheme
Prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi outlined the State’s case, alleging that between March and August of this year, Musekiwa operated an unlicensed money transmission service.
The court heard that she specifically targeted individuals in the textile retail sector.
According to the allegations, Musekiwa would collect hard currency from these local retailers. She then allegedly used the pooled funds to purchase and import textile goods from Türkiye on their behalf.
This activity, the State argues, constitutes operating a banking or money transmission business without the mandatory licence from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ).
Police Raid and Arrest
The operation was uncovered on August 28, 2025, when police detectives, acting on a tip-off, conducted a search at Chrisha Boutique’s business premises.
Upon their arrival, Musekiwa was reportedly unable to present any documentation from the RBZ authorising her to conduct such financial operations.
She was subsequently arrested. Law enforcement officials seized receipt books which, they say, detail transactions worth US$187,813.99. However, no actual cash was found or recovered at the location.
A Second, Linked Operation Uncovered
A second charge against Musekiwa involves a similar alleged operation run through another boutique. Police investigations into this separate entity led to the arrest of a man identified as Simbarashe Daniel Dzimba on the same date.
The prosecution told the court that Dzimba implicated Musekiwa as his employer in this parallel scheme. Further receipt books, allegedly connecting her to an additional US$183,813.99 in unauthorized transactions, were recovered. As with the first case, no physical currency was found.
The matter was adjourned, and Musekiwa was released on bail pending her trial.
Follow Us on Google News for Immediate Updates
The post Harare Businesswoman in Court Over $370k illegal Forex Racket appeared first on iHarare News.
