Chimombe granted bail

Court Reporter

ECONOMIC Empowerment Group (EEG) president, Mike Chimombe, was yesterday granted $50 000 bail when he appeared in court charged with defrauding a stand buyer of US$16 900.

Chimombe, who was being represented by lawyer Mr Tapson Dzvetero, was not asked to plead to the fraud charges when he appeared before Regional magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi.

Circumstances leading to his arrest are that between August 5, 2020 and March 10 this year, Chimombe, acting in connivance with Hermysh Katsande and Steven Chimombe, defrauded Brian Marungamise.

Katsande and Steven Chimombe were arrested in July and are already appearing in court on similar charges.

It is alleged that they misrepresented to Mr Marungamise that they were owners and sellers of 18000 Remainder of Lot 12 Tynwald Township, Harare measuring 558 square metres.

Mr Marungamise is said to have paid US$16 900 to Chimombe who, according to the State, knew that he does not own and had no such residential stand.

When it was found the stand was already owned by someone else, he was offered another Tynwald stand, which he accepted.

Later it was also found to be already owned and he was offered a stand in Waterfalls.

When that stand also turned out to be already owned, Mr Marungamise went to the police.

Mike Chimombe is expected back in court on October 24 for his routine remand.