Harare School Director Arrested Over Alleged ZIMSEC Exam Fee Fraud

A private school operator in Harare has landed in legal trouble after allegedly diverting funds meant for students’ ZIMSEC examination fees.

Munyaradzi Rukweza, 41, who runs an unregistered private learning institution known as Excel College, appeared before Magistrate Ruth Moyo facing fraud charges. He has been remanded in custody, with a bail hearing set for today.

According to court reports, between February and July 2025, Rukweza received money from several Form Four students, claiming it would be used to pay for their ZIMSEC exam registration. However, authorities allege that he never submitted the fees to ZIMSEC and instead used the funds for personal gain.

The total amount in question is US$1,630, none of which has reportedly been recovered.

In a separate case, Rukweza is facing an additional charge of theft of trust property. Prosecutors claim that in March this year, he reached an agreement with an individual to use their Toyota Noah minivan for school purposes. Under the agreement, Rukweza was supposed to pay US$800 for the use of the vehicle.

However, it is alleged that he breached the contract by offering the vehicle as collateral to a third party to settle a personal debt, without the owner’s consent.

Meanwhile, Destiny Achievers College, also based in Harare, is under scrutiny following allegations that it staged fraudulent Cambridge exams, leaving 16 students without valid results.

Parents accuse the school’s operator, Cynthia Gambiza, of collecting fees in 2023 for the November Cambridge O-Level exams but failing to complete the official registration process. Families were later told their children could re-sit the exams in June 2024.

However, it’s alleged the exams were illegitimate and held at a rented venue under the pretense of being conducted through a Cambridge-accredited partner — a claim parents say was false.

Parents now demand accountability after collectively spending over US$11,000, only to discover their children were never officially registered with Cambridge International.

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