HARARE, ZIMBABWE – The Zimbabwe Stock Exchange Limited (ZSE) has issued an urgent public warning to investors, market participants and all stakeholders following the circulation of a fraudulent certificate purporting to confirm that ABC Investments (Private) Limited is a duly listed and authorised company on the Exchange.
In a public notice released this week, the ZSE stated that the document in question falsely represents ABC Investments (Private) Limited as having been registered and recognised under ZSE regulations, and as having authority to operate and trade securities on the Exchange. The Exchange has categorically dismissed the certificate as fake and confirmed that no such authorisation has been granted.
According to the ZSE, the certificate was not issued by the Exchange and does not conform to any official ZSE documentation. The Exchange clarified that it does not issue “Company Certificates” of the nature depicted in the circulated document to certify companies as listed or authorised. Furthermore, ABC Investments (Private) Limited is not listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, nor has it been granted any mandate by the ZSE to trade securities on its behalf.
The ZSE has warned that any person or entity using the fraudulent certificate to solicit investments, conduct investment activities, or represent themselves as authorised by the Exchange is doing so without the knowledge, approval or authority of the ZSE. Members of the public are therefore advised to treat any such representations with extreme caution.
The Exchange also flagged serious irregularities in the document itself. The logos and signatures appearing on the certificate, which purport to be those of the ZSE Chief Executive Officer and Compliance Officer, are fraudulent and were neither applied nor endorsed by the ZSE or any of its officers. In addition, the ZSE has identified a violation of Section 3 of the Armorial Bearings, Names, Uniforms and Badges Act [Chapter 10:01]. The fraudulent certificate bears the Coat of Arms of the Government of Zimbabwe, a symbol the ZSE does not use in any of its official communications.
In light of this misuse of a national emblem, the ZSE has confirmed that it will be lodging a formal complaint with the Zimbabwe Republic Police to facilitate investigations into the matter.
The Exchange reiterated its commitment to protecting the integrity of Zimbabwe’s capital markets and urged all investors to verify the listing status of any company directly with the ZSE before making investment decisions. The official list of listed companies and authorised market participants can be accessed through ZSE’s official channels.
The ZSE cautioned that reliance on forged documents not only exposes individuals to financial loss but also undermines confidence in the market. It called on the public to remain vigilant and to report any suspicious documents or investment schemes to the Exchange and relevant authorities immediately.
The notice serves as a reminder that legitimate listings and authorisations on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange follow a regulated and transparent process, and no company can claim ZSE status without formal admission and ongoing compliance with Exchange rules.
