Military police arrested a 42-year-old man for posing as a Zimbabwe National Army officer. He allegedly charged job seekers US$100 for fake recruitment assistance.
Authorities identified the suspect as Hardlife Nyoni, a general hand at Mkoba Teachers College. Officers arrested him in Harare’s Central Business District on 13 May 2026 after receiving a public tip-off.
According to the Army, Nyoni used the alias “General Talent Nyoni” in a WhatsApp group earlier this year. He claimed he was recruiting candidates for the ZNA.
One job seeker contacted Nyoni and expressed interest in joining the army. Nyoni then demanded US$100 to process the application. He claimed the applicant “had no adequate qualifications”.
However, the applicant became suspicious and alerted Military Police. Afterwards, he arranged to meet Nyoni outside Harare Central Police Station to hand over the money.
Suspect Arrested During Sting Operation
Military police arrested Nyoni during the meeting. Investigators recovered academic certificates and a pair of handcuffs from him. They believe he used the items to make the scam appear legitimate.
During questioning, Nyoni allegedly admitted to defrauding another victim of US$200 using the same scheme.
Authorities later handed him over to ZRP Harare Central for further investigations.
Meanwhile, the ZNA warned the public against fraudsters posing as soldiers. The army stressed that it never uses third parties for recruitment. It also stated that applicants never pay recruitment fees.
“Any member who comes into contact with these criminals should report to the nearest Army Camp or Police Station,” said Hlengiwe Dube.
Members of the public can also contact the Zimbabwe Military Police on 0712 842 316. They may also contact the Army Public Relations Directorate on 0712 905 377.
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