By Judith Nyuke
A Harare magistrate has denied bail to Lucia Kunaka, the director of Medical Territory Private Limited, who faces allegations of fraud, extortion, and money laundering involving over US$663 000.
Kunaka appeared before Harare regional magistrate Jesse Kufa, and the matter was remanded to June 16.
The complainant is Shar Prashant, representing Pharmaceutical and Chemical Distributors.
The State alleges that between April 14 and April 17 this year, Kunaka connived with Joseph Kanyekanye who has already appeared in court and other accomplices still at large, to unlawfully pressure Prashant into releasing funds.
The Court heard that the accused falsely claimed the money was required by senior ZANU-PF officials for Independence Day celebrations in Maphisa. They reportedly told the complainant that President Emmerson Mnangagwa had personally approved the disbursement.
It is the State’s case that the accused threatened unspecified consequences if Prashant failed to comply including potential harm to his business interests, social standing, and his company’s future payment approvals.
Fearing prejudice, the complainant authorized the transfer of US$663 480.75 from a lawyers’ trust account into a CBZ Bank account belonging to Jemina Capital, which was reportedly supplied by Kunaka on April 17, 2026.
The State claims none of the money was used for the intended Independence Day activities, resulting in the complainant suffering a total loss of the full sum which has not been recovered.
On the fraud charge, prosecutors allege that between March and April this year, Kunaka and Kanyekanye forged payment instructions, purportedly authored by the complainant, addressed to the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Investment Promotion.
These documents falsely requested the payment of treasury bill funds and were accompanied by forged instructions bearing the forged signature of President Mnangagwa.
The court heard that the accused knew the contract between the complainant and Kunaka had already expired, and that the documents did not originate from either the complainant or the President’s Office. Acting on this misrepresentation, the Ministry processed a payment of US1.8 million into the complainant’s account, believing the instructions were authentic.
The complainant later instructed that approximately US$884,641 be transferred into a trust account managed by his lawyers.
The State further alleges that Kunaka misrepresented to both the complainant and his legal team that the funds needed to be urgently released for the Independence Day celebrations, warning that failure to do so could result in the cancellation of the payment or future government approvals.
On the money laundering charge, it is the State’s case that between March and May 19, Kunaka and her accomplices transferred the US$663 480.75 through various third-party accounts to conceal the source, movement, and ownership of the funds, despite knowing the money was the proceeds of crime.
