Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) has lost about $24 million after its payment system was hacked by a software developer.
Arnold Chifamba (26) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Nyradzo Manukuri yesterday on charges of theft. He was granted bail of $100 and will return to court on April 16.
The complainant in this case is the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) and is represented by the Director of ICT Services, Chaparwa Ronnie Murahua, who is also the supervisor of Chifamba.
Chifamba’s duties included integrating HIT’s online application system with an external payment service provider, Software House Private Limited trading as PayNow Limited in order to facilitate the collection of registration fees.
During the prosecution, Ms Grace Mogocheke alleged that sometime last year, HIT invited applications from prospective students from Zimbabwe and abroad. Applications are submitted online through the HIT online application platform which was managed by Chifamba.
But Chifamba then logged into the system and changed HIT PayNow Limited’s account number from 11862, b5ad7dac-15bf-4a14-99d6-84f1f990b7fd to 13425, 1f295c9b-0810-4cc1-98d-9cef6ec26b25 in the name of Chifsoft under his control.
By doing so, all HIT’s online application fees were transferred to his PayNow account. Chifamba later allegedly instructed PayNow Limited to transfer the stolen funds to his CBZ bank account number at Chitungwiza branch.
He stole a total of $3,302,564 from HIT.
This year, HIT invited potential students and Chifamba again used the same modus operandi and transferred the application fees to his regular PayNow account number 13425 and stole a total of $21,217,069.61.
The court heard that on January 31, Chifamba via email ordered Pay Now Ltd to transfer funds to his CBZ account.
HIT noticed this anomaly and seized the funds in Chifamba’s PayNow account.
Then on February 1, PayNow Ltd alerted HIT who in turn filed a police report which led to Chifamba being arrested at his workplace.
A total of $24,519,633.33 was transferred and $21,217,069 was recovered. Announce
