 |
| Petronella Musizvingoza |
A serving member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) has alleged that he lost US$1,700 in a suspected United Kingdom job sponsorship scam after being promised assistance to secure employment abroad through a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS).
Owen Fungurani, a police sergeant stationed at ZRP Marondera Rural, claims the ordeal began in September 2023 when he first communicated with a woman identified as 33-year-old Petronella Musizvingoza, who reportedly lives in Nottingham in the United Kingdom and allegedly works as a care assistant for a company called Real Social Care Solutions.
According to Fungurani, Musizvingoza explained to him how Zimbabweans could obtain employment opportunities in the UK through sponsorship arrangements and emphasised the importance of acquiring a Certificate of Sponsorship, commonly known as a COS.
The matter allegedly intensified in October 2024 after Fungurani’s brother informed him that Musizvingoza had a reliable way of securing sponsorship opportunities and urged him to act quickly. Fungurani said he subsequently contacted her through WhatsApp, after which she allegedly sent him application forms linked to the UK company where she claimed to work.
He alleges that he was instructed to pay an upfront fee of US$2,000 into a Lloyds Bank account, with another US$2,000 supposedly payable after the sponsorship certificate had been approved.
Desperate to secure the opportunity, Fungurani said he struggled to raise the money and eventually managed to gather US$1,700 through borrowed funds. According to his account, the money was sent in British Pounds through a former colleague, Jerald Musengezi, while the cash itself was handed to a shopkeeper, Tracy Jotamu, at Goromonzi Business Centre.
Fungurani claims he submitted completed application documents in November 2024 and was advised to wait for an offer letter which was supposedly going to be sent via email. However, months allegedly passed without any confirmation of employment or sponsorship approval.
He stated that he continued following up with Musizvingoza regularly while repeatedly checking his email inbox and spam folders in anticipation of communication from the UK employer.
According to Fungurani, the situation worsened after the United Kingdom introduced immigration policy changes in 2025 which affected many foreign recruitment processes. Realising that the process appeared uncertain and facing increasing financial pressure from debts accumulated while raising the money, he allegedly requested a refund.
He claims communication from Musizvingoza then became inconsistent, with messages allegedly being ignored for extended periods.
The police officer further alleges that in November 2025, the WhatsApp account previously used by Musizvingoza was deleted, something he believes was intended to avoid communication regarding the matter. He later reportedly obtained another contact number linked to her, through which she allegedly promised to refund the money in instalments.
Despite several alleged repayment promises, including commitments to begin weekly refunds in January 2026, Fungurani claims he has still not recovered the money.
The alleged financial loss appears to have had devastating consequences on his personal life. Fungurani says he was eventually forced to sell his vehicle in order to settle debts arising from the transaction. He further alleges that prolonged stress linked to the matter negatively affected his health, resulting in him collapsing at work before later being diagnosed with hypertension.
He also described suffering emotional distress, sleepless nights and severe financial hardship during the period he was attempting to recover the funds.
The case has drawn attention to growing concerns surrounding alleged overseas employment scams targeting Zimbabweans desperate for opportunities abroad, particularly in the United Kingdom’s care sector where many job seekers continue searching for sponsorship opportunities.
Authorities and immigration experts have repeatedly warned members of the public to exercise caution when dealing with individuals offering overseas employment opportunities in exchange for large upfront payments, especially where arrangements are conducted informally through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp.
At the time of publication, the allegations remained claims made by the complainant and had not yet been tested in court.
