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Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
Two senior citizens aged 80 and 61 masqueraded as a couple and allegedly swindled homeseekers of more than $30 000 after they forged documents and sold residential stands belonging to other people in the city.
Xaverio Dzinowanda (80) from Jaure Village, Seke, and his supposed wife Emmie Nyakudonga (61) of 29611 Unit K, reportedly forged identity cards and title deeds of the targeted stands.
According to the State, Nyakudonga was once convicted of fraud.
The pair appeared before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe on Wednesday facing two counts of fraud.
They were, however, back in court yesterday with an additional charge of the same nature.
They were remanded in custody after prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa opposed bail.
The State submitted that there was overwhelming evidence linking the pair to the offence, hence there was a likelihood of a conviction.
Mr Mahwe concurred with the State and remanded them in custody to June 15.
The suspects allegedly used forged identity documents and title deeds and sold three housing stands in Harare to three unsuspecting homeseekers after placing advertisements in a local newspaper.
It is the State’s case that the duo identified a stand in Tynwald owned by Mr and Mrs Chiringa.
After manufacturing documents, they advertised the stand in the press and the price was pegged at $18 000.
They also supplied contact details and the complainant responded to the advertisement and called the supplied number.
The phone was answered by the pair’s alleged accomplice who identified himself as Tawanda Chiringa, a son to the owners of the stand, it is alleged.
The complainant was invited by “Tawanda” for viewing and after that he drafted an agreement of sale which he said was to be signed by his “parents”, Dzinowada and Nyakudonga in Gokwe.
The complainant, the State alleged, proceeded to Gokwe where he met the pair who introduced themselves as Mr and Mrs Chiringa and produced the fake identity cards bearing their pictures.
It is the State’s case that the complainant was convinced that they were the owners of the stand and was given the fake title deeds after paying the purchase price.
On May 14, the complainant went to “his” stand in a bid to develop it and was confronted by the owners who had already cleared the land.
The complainant went to the Deeds Office where he was told that his title deeds were fake.
The pair used the same method and swindled two other homeseekers after selling two more stands.
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