Trio Accused Of Using Software To Steal From EcoCash Accounts

Three Bulawayo men have appeared in court accused of using software to manipulate the EcoCash system and steal money from account holders.

Nimrod Sibanda (20), Mbongeni Dube (18) and Delight Ncube (24) were arraigned before Bulawayo provincial magistrate Isheunesu Matova this week, facing six counts of theft.

Sibanda faces two additional theft charges linked to separate incidents allegedly carried out using the same method.

According to court papers, the trio allegedly stole a combined US$2,102 and ZWL$45,200 from several EcoCash customers.

Sibanda is further accused of stealing an additional US$721 in the separate cases.

The three were each granted bail of US$150 and are being represented by Tinashe Tashaya of Tashaya Law Chambers.

Prosecutor Joseph Rugara told the court that on June 15, near a food outlet close to Tredgold Building in Bulawayo, the accused allegedly used software known as “Yamurai” to unlawfully access an EcoCash account and steal US$1,669 and ZWL$11,500.

The State further alleges that the trio later used the same software to steal ZWL$20,600 and US$75 from another EcoCash account holder.

Investigations are continuing, with the prosecution alleging that the accused exploited vulnerabilities in the mobile money platform to carry out the thefts.

“The accused persons further used the same modus operandi to steal US$18. They took another ZWL$2 100 from Peter Matsika’s EcoCash account, US$340 from Edmore Maphosa’s account and a further ZWL$11 000 from Emmanuel Chakauya,” Rugara said.

The prosecutor further alleged that Sibanda acted alone in two separate incidents, allegedly using the same method to steal US$270 from Letwin Makombe and US$451 from Dzinoreva Mhangarai.

The State opposed bail, arguing that the offences involved the manipulation of electronic systems and that the accused could interfere with digital evidence or evade trial if released.

“Your Worship, Sibanda was the main actor in the commission of the offence. He is employed at Econet and was responsible for providing information to his co-accused Ncube,” Rugara submitted.

“The evidence linking the accused persons to the offence is electronic in nature. Given the delicacy of the matter, the State fears they may tamper with evidence if released. They may also continue committing similar offences.”

In response, Tashaya argued that the prosecution had failed to provide compelling reasons to justify denying his clients bail, stressing that bail is a constitutional right that can only be withheld in exceptional circumstances.

He said the concerns raised by the State did not meet the legal threshold required to deny bail and were matters of evidence that should be tested during trial.

Tashaya maintained that the three accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty and argued that the allegations against them remained unproven.

He further submitted that his clients worked as EcoCash agents and did not have direct access to the platform’s internal systems or customers’ confidential information.

According to Tashaya, agents cannot access customer account details unless there are vulnerabilities within the network itself. He also argued that even where a SIM card is replaced, the EcoCash PIN remains known only to the account holder.

The defence lawyer told the court that there was a strong possibility that the wrong individuals had been arrested and brought before the court.

More: CITE