Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku
FORMER Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) legislator, Obert Manduna, who was arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) for defrauding a Bulawayo woman of US$5 900 in a botched residential stand deal, was sentenced to an effective two years in jail.
Manduna, who once represented the Nketa and Emganwini constituencies, was arrested at his Ascot residence in Kenilworth Towers last year.
Manduna pleaded not guilty to fraud, but was convicted by Bulawayo provincial magistrate Richard Ramaboea due to overwhelming evidence.
He was sentenced to four years and six months in prison, of which six months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour. A further 24 months were suspended on condition that he restitutes US$5 900 to Ms Sithulisiwe Sibanda, the complainant in the matter.
Manduna is also facing another fraud case, with the trial expected to kick off on Friday.
In passing sentence, the magistrate said Manduna posed as a housing agent and defrauded an innocent person who wanted to set up a shelter to live with her family.
Mr Ramaboea said by doing so, Manduna was heartless as he plunged the victim into depression and financial woes.
“The accused was in the habit of defrauding people and going into hiding. However, now that he has been convicted, he will have to hide in jail for two years,” said the magistrate.
In his mitigation, Manduna pleaded for leniency, saying he was a breadwinner, taking care of his family.
“Your worship, I plead with you not to imprison me. I will source the money and restitute her. I have a family and children that I look after. Kindly have mercy on me,” he said.
Despite claiming to reside at Kenilworth Towers in Ascot in Bulawayo, Manduna, according to court papers, was of no fixed abode.
The prosecutor, Ms Brenda Nyoni , said between October 2020 and February 2022, Manduna used a fake power of attorney to convince Ms Sibanda that he could sell her Stand 7278 Cowdray Park for US$6 500.
However, Bulawayo City Council had already repossessed the stand, and the rightful owner, Bernard Mujuru, had never signed over authority, hence Manduna had no title, no rights and no conscience.
By the time Ms Sibanda got suspicious, she had already handed over US$5 900 which she had not recovered. The court heard that Manduna switched SIM cards, used hired cars and slept in hideouts the moment he sensed that Zaac was looking for him
One summons event triggered a desperate phone call in which Manduna reportedly sobbed that he would drink poison. Zacc dismissed the threat and tightened the net.
Ms Nyoni argued for a custodial sentence, noting that “nothing has been recovered” from the US$5 900. She said Maduna had taken too long to make efforts towards restitution and warned that he could reoffend, as he remains active in the construction industry, a claim the court ultimately dismissed.
However, Nyoni acknowledged that Manduna was “not a danger to society.”
The court heard that Manduna had previously faced fraud charges over a local school fund and escaped on a technicality.
Earlier this year, the case raised eyebrows after Bulawayo provincial magistrate Ms Eva Matura was herself placed on remand for allegedly abusing her office by unlawfully authorising Manduna’s release from Khami Remand Prison.
Ms Matura had initially denied Maduna bail on 25 June, but later allegedly arranged his release without a formal application or High Court order.
She is facing charges of criminal abuse of duty and is out on $200 bail.
