BCC worker surrenders title deeds for bail after botched US$17 500 stand deal

A 49-year-old man who posed as an employee of the Bulawayo City Council and allegedly duped the owner and director of Lonatech Air Technology Solutions [Pvt] Limited of US$17 500 in a botched commercial stand deal has been granted bail and told to surrender title deeds of his house to the clerk of court as security.

Nkosilathi Sibanda from Emakhandeni suburb in Bulawayo appeared in court yesterday before Bulawayo Provincial Magistrate Mr Isheunesu Mathoba facing fraud charges.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded out of custody to 20 April 2026.
Sibanda is being represented by his lawyer, Mr Tapiwa Solani, who argued that his client is not a flight risk and has no criminal record.

“He has no previous criminal record. As such, he cannot flee. He is willing to stay at the address he supplied to the court,” he said.

In granting Sibanda bail, the magistrate ordered him to surrender the title deeds of his house to the Clerk of Court and to reside at the address he supplied to the court.

He was warned not to interfere with State witnesses and to report every Friday at the Bulawayo Commercial Crimes Division.

Principal Prosecutor, Mr Milton Moyo, told the court that sometime in December 2025, the complainant met the accused in town at a photocopying shop. After some greetings and deliberations, the accused told the complainant that he could facilitate the purchase of commercial stands from the Bulawayo City Council (BCC), which had been repossessed from defaulting beneficiaries.

“Sibanda then advised the complainant to apply for placement on the waiting list with the BCC housing department, which the complainant did, and was asked to pay a total of US$280 for swift facilitation of those stands. He was then given reference numbers 2017/8113/12 and 2018/6712/44 for the two stands,” said Mr Moyo.

Mr Moyo further told the court that the commercial stands were valued at US$17 500, and the money could be paid in batches into Mr Sibanda’s bank account so that he could then forward the money to the Bulawayo City Council.

“The complainant proceeded to send money to the accused on different dates until it amounted to US$17 500,” said Mr Moyo.

The matter came to light when the complainant requested the accused to furnish him with BCC receipts as proof of payment for the stands, but the accused failed to do so.

The matter was reported to the police, leading to the arrest of the accused person.