HARARE — The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested Plaxedes Chikutu, the company secretary of state-owned telecom operator NetOne Pvt Ltd, for allegedly obstructing justice in a criminal investigation involving two employees accused of hacking and financial fraud.
Chikutu is accused of mishandling the suspension and reinstatement of billing engineer Anotida Munyaradzi and brand officer Linda Mutemeri, who were under investigation for unauthorized access to and manipulation of company systems, potentially linked to fraud.
In July 2024, Chikutu allegedly suspended the two employees without consulting NetOne’s human resources or loss control departments — a breach of internal procedures that allowed the suspects to retain company laptops. One of the laptops, believed to contain critical evidence, was reportedly formatted after Chikutu instructed the employees not to surrender it, resulting in the destruction of data key to the police investigation.
In January 2025, Chikutu allegedly recommended the reinstatement of both employees and the payment of their outstanding salaries, citing procedural flaws in their suspension.
She is expected to appear at Harare’s Rotten Row Magistrates Court on April 30.
