dyton mupawaenda
Zvikomborero Parafini
THIRTY eight members of the Light To The Disabled Housing Co-operative have allegedly been duped of over US$78 000 in premiums paid since 2019.
The suspect, Joseph Komechayana, appeared before Harare magistrate Isheanesu Matova yesterday and was not asked to plead.
He is facing fraud charges.
The co-operative is being represented by Fundas Karenga, who is its secretary.
The court heard that in 2011, Komechayana and three others formed and registered Light To Disabled Housing Co-operative with the aim of providing residential stands for the deaf and disabled. It was also open to the able bodied people.
Karenga and 37 others joined the co-operative and started making US$50 monthly contributions.
In 2019, Komechayana advised members of the co-operative that they had been offered land in Mabvuku by the City of Harare.
Every member was allocated a stand and were also advised that the subscriptions they had made were for payment of intrinsic value of their stands at the City Council.
Sometime in 2023, another co-operative by the name Imbahuru Housing Co-operative came and occupied the same stands which the Light to Disabled Housing Co-operative members had been offered.
The members of the Light To Disabled Housing Co-operative went to the City of Harare to enquire on the status of the land in question.
They were advised that their co-operative never paid any money for the land and it was repossessed and offered to another co-operative.
The members approached Komechayana who failed to give a satisfactory explanation about what happened to the US$78 795 he received from the members.
Nomsa Kangara appeared for the State.
Online Reporter