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Vitalis Kavele Court Reporter
Scores of angry home-seekers on Wednesday thronged the Mbare magistrates court to hear proceedings in a case in which a housing co-op official changed the name of a housing association without the knowledge of other members. Antony Muchato (42) of Nehanda Compound in Waterfalls appeared before the court facing fraud charges for deliberately supplying false information to public authority.
In the highly-charged case, angry home-seekers bayed for Muchato’s blood and had to be restrained by court officials for proceedings to continue.
The court heard that Muchato changed the name of Harare South Housing Association Co-operative Society Limited to Harare South Housing Union Co-operative Society Limited without the knowledge of some 6 072 members.
Muchato is denying the charges.
Mr Fanuel Madanhire, representing the State, alleged that on August 1, 2012, the Harare South Housing Association (Apex Board) assigned Muchato to process a partnership agreement between the association and the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development for development of residential stands at Retreat Farm Number 315. Muchato did not comply with the association`s directive and unknown to the rest of the association deliberately made a misrepresentation with the intention of prejudicing home-seekers and caused change of name of the association on an existing partnership agreement.
A week later, it is alleged, he resigned from the management board of Harare South Housing Association Co-operative Society and formed the Harare South Housing Union, which he had registered with the Local Government Ministry so as to takeover and administer the Retreat Farm housing project.
Muchato stated, through his lawyers, that at all material times prior to entering an agreement with the Local Government Ministry up to the commencement of his trial, he had the full mandate and authority from the Harare South Housing Union to enter into any agreement on its behalf, and all the parties who arraigned him to court were fully aware of his actions.
Mr Rony Shawatu from the Ministry of Local Government, Rural and Urban Development – a state witness – however, said Muchato deceived and persuaded an official from the ministry to write an offer letter in the name of Harare South Housing Union instead of Harare South Housing Association (Apex Board).
The offer letter was dated on August 6, 2012 and yet the union was not yet registered with the ministry at that time.
The official, who thought Muchato was acting in good faith, did as the accused asked him.
Mr Shawatu said the correct position was that the offer letter was supposed to be in the name of Harare South Housing Association (Apex Board) and not Muchato’s Union.
The trial continues on December 18.
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