In a shocking turn of events, a 42-year-old medical doctor finds himself in the hot seat, staring down charges of defrauding the State. Dr. Prosper Chimedza, alongside his partner in crime, Lloyd Mwembe, 33, appeared before Harare regional magistrate Donald Ndirowei to face the music.

The duo’s fate was sealed as they were jointly charged and slapped with a bail bond of US$100 each, keeping them out of custody until their next court appearance on July 10.

According to Prosecutor Lancelot Mutsokoti, the scheme kicked off back in November 2023, when Ruth Ruparaganda had her sights set on snagging a car through a sweet government rebate deal. Mwembe swooped in to lend a hand, using Chimedza’s credentials to secure a vehicle all the way from Japan.

But here’s where it gets dicey: They didn’t play fair. Nope, they cooked up a phony rebate letter with the help of a former Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officer named Yvonne Musoni, who conveniently had ties to Chimedza.

Fast forward to January 23, 2023, and the dynamic duo breezed through Kariba Border Post with their bogus letter in hand, dodging import duty fees like it was nobody’s business. But their slick moves came at a cost, leaving Zimra shortchanged to the tune of US$4,175.

Now, as the courtroom drama unfolds, all eyes are on Dr. Chimedza and Mwembe as they navigate the legal labyrinth ahead. Stay tuned for more updates as this story continues to unfold.