Bishop Evelyn Sarah Bengesa (65) appeared before the Harare Regional Magistrates’ Court this week facing charges of illegally externalising money from Zimbabwe.
Bengesa appeared before regional magistrate Sheila Mupindu, where the State outlined allegations that she unlawfully moved large sums of cash across the border without declaring them.
According to prosecutors, Bengesa sold her house at 16 Prices Avenue in Mt Pleasant, Harare, for US$660,000 on 25 August 2025. On 16 September 2025, she allegedly carried about US$480,000 in cash across the Plumtree Border Post into Botswana.
The court heard that Bengesa travelled to Francistown, where she deposited the money into her company account at Stanbic Bank Botswana. The unusually large cash deposit reportedly triggered internal alerts at the bank.
When questioned by bank officials, Bengesa is said to have explained that the money was proceeds from a legitimate property sale in Harare. However, the explanation allegedly failed to satisfy the bank, which then reported the transaction to authorities.
Investigations were subsequently escalated, with Interpol tracing the funds back to the Mt Pleasant property sale and linking them directly to Bengesa.
The State further alleges that Bengesa was arrested upon her return to Zimbabwe, where she had come to engage authorities in an attempt to have the funds unfrozen.
She was granted bail of US$1,000. As part of her bail conditions, Bengesa was ordered to surrender both her American and Zimbabwean passports, effectively barring her from leaving the country while the case is ongoing.
