Teacher (37) Arrested After Attempting to Exchange ZiG Card for USD at Marondera Supermarket
Undercover Detectives Trap Schoolteacher as Crackdown on Illegal Currency Trade Continues
A schoolteacher from Macheke has been apprehended and charged with illegal trade in foreign currency after his attempt to exchange his ZiG bank balance for US dollars at a local supermarket caught the attention of undercover detectives. The incident took place outside N Richards Supermarket in Marondera, where the unsuspecting teacher approached police detectives from the CID Commercial Crime Division Northern Regions with an offer to trade his ZiG funds for cash.
According to a police memo, the accused, identified as Albert Nyambara, 37, a teacher at Waterloo Primary School, approached the detectives who were observed pushing a trolley filled with various groceries. In exchange for hard cash, Nyambara reportedly offered the detectives his Cabs card to purchase items from the supermarket.
The memo further states that the accused informed the detectives about his ZiG account balance at Cabs Bank and expressed his intention to swipe the card in exchange for US dollars at an agreed rate of ZiG 14.11 per US $1. As a token of appreciation, he also offered US$5 to the detectives. Nyambara provided the detectives with his Cabs Bank card details, including the serial number (588925071472080) and the associated PIN number (2011).
Accompanied by the detectives, Nyambara proceeded to the supermarket’s checkout counter, where they swiped the card to pay for the groceries. After receiving a receipt worth ZiG 999.07, the accused calculated the equivalent amount in US dollars to be approximately US$70.80. At this point, the detectives handed over the trap money to Nyambara and promptly arrested him.
Nyambara appeared before a Marondera magistrate on Saturday and was released on summons. He has sought legal representation from Makwanya Godfrey of Sakala Associates to defend him against the charges.
The incident comes in the wake of the introduction of ZiG, a new gold-backed currency in Zimbabwe. The government has intensified its efforts to crack down on illegal money traders who engage in currency exchange activities, often found on urban streets and near major supermarkets.
In a country where citizens heavily rely on informal traders to access hard currency for purchasing goods and services, even the government has resorted to accepting US dollars for certain transactions. With banks struggling to meet the demand for foreign currency, the practice of sourcing hard currency through friends, relatives, and street traders has become commonplace in Zimbabwe.
As authorities continue their efforts to curb illegal currency trading, incidents like this serve as a reminder of the challenges faced by Zimbabweans in navigating the complex financial landscape of a partially dollarized economy.
