By Rex Mphisa
SOME former workers of the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority Information Technology are believed part of a syndicate that hacked into their former employer’s system to defraud millions of dollars through crediting accounts of close to 100 shipping companies later used for duty.
Through their foot soldiers, the hackers later collected their loot from the shipping companies said to have retained 20 percent of raised amounts.
Ziyah News Network is now aware that several large clearing companies involved in the scam are on their knees after their businesses came to a standstill when ZIMRA reacted closing all bonds of companies whose account received were credited with duty funds.
While it was initially believed the hackers were foreign, new information pointed towards former employees of the country’s revenue collector tasked with collection of taxes and other revenue streams for the Zimbabwean Government in Zimbabwe.
“Its some former employees who hacked the system. It had been going on for a long time and ZIMRA must have been sleeping on duty. Some accounts were credited huge amounts,” said a Zimra worker in Plumtree.
“Several clearing agents became rich overnight. The ZIMRA system is weak, because their prepaid accounts are porous. The system is not controlled locally and people who own the system are in control,” not ZIMRA.
Yesterday ZIMRA played down the hacking saying it had sorted the mess saying it had been partially affected.
“The Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) informs the public and stakeholders that a breach within its customs systems was swiftly detected and successfully contained through continuous monitoring and proactive security protocols.
“Investigations confirmed that the incident was limited to a small number of user accounts linked to fraudulent activity,” said a statement from ZIMRA .
Immediate corrective measures were taken, it said, including deactivation of the affected accounts and the launch of criminal proceedings against the individuals involved.
“Importantly, all taxpayer and customs data remain secure and all customs and revenue services continued without interruption.
“ZIMRA is working closely with stakeholders to strengthen system integrity, reinforce safeguards and prevent recurrence,” it said.
But some directors in some companies speaking on conditions of anonymity said the amount was large.
“Simply looking at the numbers of companies closed will tell you the effect, obviously someone has to manage this,” said one company director.
“Some of the companies involved are big and handle millions of dollars worth of business. Big companies were affected and if you go to BAK storage, the cars that are being held will tell you the story,” he said.
He said it was likely directors may not even have been aware of this scam in which case each company will have to make their case to ZIMRA .
” Depending on various scenarios, I see some companies having their licences and bonds cancelled permanently, some being asked to reimburse the funds plus heavy fines, some directors and employees being charged with fraud, theft, etc.”
has launched a clampdown on vehicles that may have been cleared and had import duties paid from the fraudulent scam.
It is understood millions of dollars worth of other goods were cleared in the same pattern which denied the fiscus millions.
Some of the clearing companies are known to have been credited with amounts like ZIG 13 million.
“Some big companies have had their bonds shut and are unable to do any transactions, ” a clearing clerk at Beitbridge said.
“We are likely to see more clampdowns because the fraud was huge and may have involved many people.
Arrests are possible,” he said.