By Farai D Hove | ZimEye | Manchester, UK – Sithule Tshuma, a UK-based businesswoman and finance-queen in politician Sengezo Tshabangu’s party was arrested at Manchester Airport. The arrest was carried out by Greater Manchester Police, with Tshuma facing over 30 charges.
Full details of the charges are yet to be disclosed and police are expected to make an update soon.
Tshuma, who is also a nurse, has made headlines in recent years for her involvement in a multi-million pound investment program, which she ran in collaboration with Tshabangu and Welshman Ncube’s official publicist, Jimmy Chasafara. The program, which purported to empower investors and uplift the economically disadvantaged Matebeleland region in Zimbabwe, has been marred by allegations of fraud and money laundering.
Tshuma last year announced in a state media news bulletin that she and her associates collected more than £20 million from investors through the Qoki Zindlovukazi property investment scheme. The program was however publicly flagged by financial institutions in Zimbabwe, South Africa, and the UK, with courts in Britain ruling against the scheme due to concerns about its legitimacy.
Banks in multiple countries, including the UK, stopped processing transactions linked to the program after raising suspicions of money laundering. Zimbabwe and South Africa also joined the investigation, further escalating the situation.
Sengezo Tshabangu, and Welshman Ncube the leaders of a splinter faction in Zimbabwe’s opposition, have been accused of collaborating with the ruling ZANU PF government. Their faction recently made headlines for orchestrating the removal of MPs loyal to opposition leader Nelson Chamisa from Zimbabwe’s parliament. This move was condemned by international bodies, including the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), which ordered that the ousted MPs must be reinstated to their positions.
Tshuma remained active in the investment program until her arrest.
The Qoki Zindlovukazi scheme promised substantial returns, but by May 2023, it was claimed that none of the investors had seen any returns on their money. Many investors, some of whom were forced to sue, accused the scheme calling it a pyramid scam.
A recent Manchester Crown court ruling upheld allegations by one investor’s legal team who described how Tshuma and her associates allegedly manipulated investors with promises of economic empowerment, while siphoning off funds for private gain.
Tshuma is being held in the UK under strict bail conditions, including a prohibition on leaving the country. Greater Manchester Police are expected to release further details of the charges in the coming days.
There is no suggestion to date that the arrest is in any way connected to the published accusations, the previous court judgements and or statements announced by various banks.