BCC official in court for $93,6k fraud

Mashudu Netsianda Senior Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO City Council human resources officer allegedly forged documents and fraudulently parcelled out stands on council land to several residents, pocketing $93,600 in the process, a court heard yesterday.

Maxwell Sibanda, 53, of Nkulumane appeared before Magistrate Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze facing charges of fraud and contravening a section of the Regional, Town and Country Planning Act.

He pleaded not guilty and was remanded out of custody to February, 27, on $100 bail.

As part of the bail conditions, Sibanda was ordered to report to the Bulawayo CID Fraud Section every Friday and to reside at his given address until the matter is finalised.

Sibanda was also ordered to surrender his passport to the clerk of court and not interfere with state witnesses.

Prosecuting, Danmore Kasenza said sometime last year, Sibanda identified a piece of land in Trenance North on the outskirts of Bulawayo. He then hatched a plan to unlawfully possess the land whose actual value was put at $120,000, the court heard.

Sibanda then engaged the services of a private town planner to survey the land on the remaining extent of 100 acres Lot of Henry Mangizan on the outskirts of Bulawayo.

The land belongs to Bulawayo City Council.

The court heard that the private town planner with the blessing of Sibanda subdivided the land into residential stands.

“Sometime during the month of October 2014, Sibanda approached TP Consultants and Jacob’s Accommodation in Bulawayo and engaged the two agencies to advertise and sell the remaining extent of 100 acres of Henry Mangizan on his behalf,” said Kasenza.

The court heard that 18 homeseekers responded to the advert and bought the stands for $10,000 each. They paid varying amounts on the understanding that they would settle the balances at agreed dates later.

The alleged crime was discovered when Sibanda failed to produce an original agreement of sale between him and the registered owners of the land and they went to the council offices to inquire.

The city council through its legal department instituted investigations, and it was discovered that Sibanda had tendered a fake Special Power of Attorney to Thabani Ncube, a city council valuer, which authorised him to sign all documents necessary for the subdivision of the land.

The matter was reported to the police and he was arrested.