by Audrey L Ncube
Two Bulawayo women, Nokuthula Sibanda (63) and Nothando Ndlovu (48), have been arrested for defrauding UK job seekers of over US$47,000. The two women operated a fraudulent job placement scheme for more than two years, convincing their victims that they could secure employment in the United Kingdom. The victims, who paid substantial fees to the women, were left with nothing but empty promises.
According to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP), the fraudulent activity took place between December 2022 and November 2024. Sibanda and Ndlovu posed as professional job placement agents, misleading eight UK-based job seekers into paying facilitation fees, which amounted to US$47,811. The women failed to fulfill their promises of job placements, but continued to collect money from the victims.
The police issued a statement confirming the arrest of both suspects, stating, “The ZRP confirms the arrest of Nokuthula Sibanda (63) and Nothando Ndlovu (48) in connection with eight cases of fraud that occurred between December 2022 and November 2024 in Bulawayo. The suspects misrepresented themselves as agents facilitating job placements in the United Kingdom, defrauding the complainants a total of US$47,811.”
The arrest of Sibanda and Ndlovu comes amid a rise in scams targeting job seekers eager to find work abroad. In a similar case, the ZRP arrested a couple, Sitshengisiwe Ndlovu (46) and Alison Unami (30), for defrauding victims of a total of US$134,552 by promising lucrative job opportunities in Canada, the UK, and Ireland. This case highlights the growing problem of fake job placements, with scammers using platforms like WhatsApp to conduct fake interviews and charge high fees for non-existent jobs.
Between August 2022 and May 2023, Ndlovu and Unami targeted 46 victims, promising to secure jobs abroad in exchange for upfront fees of US$4,000 per person. The victims, after paying, were left with vague excuses and delays. It wasn’t until one victim reported the scam to the police in May 2023 that the scheme was uncovered. Following a swift investigation, Unami was arrested as she attempted to move office belongings, while Ndlovu was apprehended at the Bulawayo Police Station.
The growing number of fraud cases is a clear warning to job seekers to exercise caution when dealing with unsolicited job offers and recruitment agents, especially those asking for significant upfront payments.