Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
A 62-year-old Borrowdale woman has appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court charged with theft of trust property in connection with a botched house sale.
Virginia Tambudzai Maida is accused of defrauding a local businessman of US$120 000 after selling him a property registered under his late brother’s estate under false pretenses.
Appearing before city magistrate, Mr Donald Ndirowei, Maida was granted US$1 000 bail and is set to return to court on February 6 pending the finalisation of some investigations.
The complainant is represented by Tinashe Nigel Mashingaidze of the Mash Family Futures Trust.
It alleged that Maida misrepresented herself as the Executrix Dative of her late brother’s estate and fraudulently sold a disputed property located at 470A Marlborough Extension 3, Harare, held under Deed of Transfer number 2259/99.
According to prosecutor, Mr Oscar Madhume, on July 17, 2025, Maida approached the complainant with an offer to sell the property for US$120 000 well below its market value.
She claimed she had obtained the necessary authority from both the Master of the High Court of Zimbabwe and the estate’s beneficiaries.
On July 18, 2025, the complainant, accompanied by his lawyer Mr Exactly Mangezi of Mangezi, Nleya, and Partners, met Maida to finalise the deal.
She presented a letter of administration issued to her on March 18, 2002, and claimed she had been authorised by the Master of the High Court on August 19, 2024, to sell the property without an auction.
Believing the transaction to be legitimate, the complainant paid US$120 000 in cash. Maida provided an affidavit, an acknowledgment of receipt, and a Power of Attorney to facilitate the transfer of ownership.
However, attempts to process the conveyance failed after complaints were filed by the estate’s beneficiaries, Shamiso Mitchelle Matsikira and Tinotenda Matsikira, at the Master of the High Court’s office.
Maida allegedly concealed critical information from the complainant, including that the property sale was being contested by the estate’s beneficiaries.
She also failed to disclose that the beneficiaries had sued her in the High Court to nullify the sale.
Even after the High Court invalidated the transaction under case number HCHF 4229/25 on November 6, 2025, Maida did not inform the complainant.
On December 7, 2025, the complainant learned about the High Court ruling through an informant and realised he had been defrauded.
Efforts to contact Maida were unsuccessful, as she became evasive and unreachable. The complainant discovered that the residential addresses Maida had provided on official documents were fake.
He also learned that Maida had allegedly used the US$120 000 to settle a personal debt in an unrelated court case.
On January 11, 2026, the complainant reported the matter to the police, leading to Maida’s arrest.
The total prejudice to the complainant, including ancillary charges, stands at US$137 400.
