Fake General Nabbed in Army Recruitment Scam
Zimbabwe National Army has warned against recruitment scams after the arrest of Hardlife Nyoni who posed as a senior army officer and duped job seekers with fake enlistment promises.
Dumisani Ndlovu 
Harare - A man employed as a general hand at Mkoba Teachers College has been arrested after allegedly masquerading as a senior army officer and duping desperate job seekers with fake Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) recruitment promises.
The suspect, Hardlife Nyoni, was arrested by the ZNA Military Police on 13 May 2026 following an undercover operation triggered by a tip-off from a suspicious applicant.
ZNA says Nyoni allegedly operated through a WhatsApp group under the name “General Talent Nyoni,” where he falsely claimed to be facilitating recruitment into the army.
He reportedly demanded US$100 from one applicant in exchange for assistance in securing enlistment into the military.
The applicant however became suspicious and alerted the Military Police, prompting investigators to set up a trap that led to Nyoni’s arrest in Harare’s central business district.
Authorities said Nyoni was found in possession of academic certificates and handcuffs, items investigators believe he used to reinforce the illusion that he was a legitimate military official.
During questioning, Nyoni allegedly confessed to using the same scheme on another victim from whom he reportedly obtained US$200.
In a strongly worded warning, the Zimbabwe National Army urged members of the public to remain vigilant against fraudsters exploiting unemployment and desperation through bogus recruitment schemes.
The army stressed that legitimate recruitment processes are conducted transparently and do not involve middlemen, agents or any form of payment.
“The Zimbabwe National Army does not charge money for recruitment applications or use third parties in the enlistment process,” the army said.
The ZNA further encouraged citizens to report suspected scammers to the police or military authorities immediately, to help curb rising cases of recruitment fraud.
