The fraud case against Cynthia Gambiza, the 49-year-old proprietor of Destiny Achievers College, has been postponed to February 24 after the defense reported not receiving essential court documents.
Gambiza faces multiple charges of defrauding parents of Ordinary Level students out of a total of US$4,000 in Cambridge Examination fees.
The allegations date back to January 2021, when Rachel Munhenga enrolled her daughter, Gaumuchirai Matsenga, at Destiny Achievers College in Glen Forest, north of Harare.
Munhenga was reportedly led to believe that the institution was a registered Cambridge examinations center, a claim the school advertised on social media and billboards.
Matsenga attended the college from Form One through Form Four, with the expectation of sitting for her Cambridge exams in 2024.
In May 2024, Munhenga paid US$700 for her daughter’s registration for the October-November Cambridge examinations.
However, in late September, she received a WhatsApp message from Gambiza, stating that her daughter would not be sitting for the exams due to a failure to register, citing the absence of a national identity document as the reason.
Subsequent investigations revealed that Gambiza had allegedly employed similar tactics to defraud other parents, raising concerns about the legitimacy of Destiny Achievers College’s operations.
Gambiza appeared before Harare Magistrate Lisa Mutendereki, with Anesu Chirenje representing the State during the proceedings.
The case has now been deferred to February 24 to allow the defense adequate time to review the necessary court documents.
