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Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
THE councillor for Ward 11 in Seke, Patson Chipunza, who allegedly defrauded a farmer of US$29 000, yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Caroline Matanga.
Chipunza (39) was remanded in custody to today for his bail application.
The complainant is Philip Chapfunga.
The State alleges that on December 30, 2002, the then Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement allocated subdivision 1 of Earling Farm, Seke measuring 347,50 hectares to the late Amos Bernard Muvengwa Midzi.
When Midzi died, the farm was never reallocated to anyone and it remained part of his estate.
The court heard that sometime in December 2022, without authority from the Ministry of Lands, Midzi subdivided the farm and assigned Templeton Chadyiwa to advertise the land.
In January 2023, Chapfunga saw the advert which was placed by Chadyiwa on a WhatsApp group and he expressed interest in purchasing the plot. He approached Chadyiwa and was then referred to Chipunza.
It is further alleged that Chipunza introduced himself as the village head of the area and made a misrepresentation that he was the owner of the advertised land measuring 63 hectares.
Chapfunga inspected the area and agreed to buy the piece of land which Chipunza valued at US$29 000.
He paid an initial deposit of US$5 000 on January 31 last year and paid the balance in the form of a Nissan Navara which they both valued at US$24 000.
It is alleged that after signing the agreement of sale, Chapfunga went on to invest US$41 000 on the farm by drilling boreholes, constructing spray races, installing cattle neck clamps, fencing 63 hectares of land, and purchasing bricks to construct a farmhouse.
On June 17, 2023, Chido Makazhu, the co-executor of the estate for the late Midzi, visited the farm and discovered that part of the property had been subdivided by Chipunza and sold to Chapfunga.
The matter was reported to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and investigations led to the arrest of the accused person.
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