How Mnangagwa’s Adviser Paul Tungwarara Swindled An Indian Businessman Out Of US$2.3 Million
A multi-million-dollar fraud scandal has rocked Zimbabwe, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s special investment adviser to the United Arab Emirates, Paul Tungwarara, at the centre of serious allegations. Tungwarara is accused of duping an Indian businessman out of US$2.3 million by selling him a property he did not own, and promising work permits for hundreds of foreign workers.
Property Sale Scam
Online publication Zimlive reports that Razaa Jishan, 30, arrived in Zimbabwe with plans to establish a gaming business and was in search of land for his company headquarters.
He was introduced to Tungwarara, who allegedly presented himself as a director of a company called Prevail International.
He claimed he was authorised to sell Stand Number 3 Tyward Close, Ballantyne Park, a prime property in the Highlands suburb of Harare.
Jishan told the police that between October and December 2022, he paid Tungwarara US$1.3 million in five instalments.
In addition, he awarded Tungwarara a contract worth US$550,000 to build offices on the property and another US$99,000 for a septic tank.
However, when Jishan attempted to complete the legal transfer of the property, he made a shocking discovery.
“That’s when I realised that I had been defrauded by Tungwarara. The property was actually owned by Hopsick Investments, and he had no authority to sell it,” Jishan stated in his police report.
Work Permits, Gaming Licence And Intimidation
The alleged fraud did not end there. Jishan also claims that Tungwarara promised to secure a gaming licence for his business, demanding an additional US$150,000 for the service.
He also allegedly assured Jishan that he could arrange 450 work permits for Indian employees.
The businessman says Tungwarara then used coercive tactics to extract more money from him.
“Each time he wanted money, he would threaten to switch off our internet, and several times he did. After paying him, he would switch it back on,” Jishan told police.
The situation escalated further. In February 2023, Tungwarara allegedly arrived at the property late at night and locked the gate, preventing Jishan and his workers from accessing the premises.
He reportedly refused to open it for several hours.
“We were stranded for hours. He only opened after continuous pleading,” Jishan recounted.
A month later, in March 2023, things took a more serious turn. Tungwarara is alleged to have arrived with a group of armed men, ordering everyone off the property before locking it completely.
“They locked the property such that we could not get inside. That’s when I knew I had been scammed,” Jishan said.
Previous Fraud Allegations
Tungwarara has been linked to multiple fraud cases in the past. Another businessman previously accused him of swindling him out of US$300,000.
In 2019, he allegedly borrowed US$350,000 from Jospher Chibisa, claiming he had government construction contracts at State House.
However, he only repaid US$64,500, and when Chibisa tried to report the case, the police file allegedly mysteriously disappeared.
There are also reports that in February last year, Zimbabwe’s finance ministry rejected a US$15 million invoice from Tungwarara’s company, Paulos Construction, which had been awarded a contract to build a perimeter wall around State House.
It remains unclear how much the company was eventually paid.
More recently, Tungwarara has been linked to Zimbabwe’s “presidential borehole scheme,” where he secured a major contract to drill thousands of boreholes across the country.
His involvement has drawn scrutiny, with reports suggesting that when a group of war veterans called for Mnangagwa’s resignation, Tungwarara was seen distributing cash to them and promising them houses and boreholes.
Despite the serious allegations against him, Zimlive reports that Tungwarara has not responded to media questions regarding the claims.
