admin
Court Correspondent
A Chitungwiza man on Saturday appeared in court facing charges of defrauding home-seekers of about $300 000 by selling them land belonging to Chitungwiza Municipality.
Kallisto Masango (43) appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe facing charges of fraud. He was granted $300 bail and is expected back in court on December 2.
Prosecutor Ms Sharon Mashavira alleged that on November 15 2004, Masango, in a bid to fleece desperate home-seekers of their money and acting in cahoots with Nyasha Marimo, Paul Garwe, Tendai Nherera, Bibiana Kasenga, Mernad Chingono and Prince Murebwa, who are still at large, formed Zanoremba Co-operative in Unit L, Seke, Chitungwiza, in which he was appointed chairman.
The court heard that the co-operative had a membership of 9 500 who paid monthly subscriptions of ZW$20 each.
Cemetery
In 2004, it is alleged Masango and his accomplices identified 100ha near Unit L, Seke, belonging to the Chitungwiza Municipality and reserved for a cemetery, residential State land and a wetland.
Masango and his accomplices started demarcating the area for residential stands and roads and told co-operative members that they had been offered the land by Chitungwiza Municipality.
The members started constructing permanent structures.
The court heard that on May 17 2013 Masango and his accomplices registered the co-operative with the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and were issued with a certificate of regis- tration.
It is the State’s case that in November 2004 they started demanding a joining fee of ZW$200 and a monthly subscription of ZW$30 which they deposited into the co-operative’s ZB Bank account, which is yet to be estab- lished.
The total subscriptions made by the co-operative members amounted to US$300 000 and nothing has been recovered.
Masango was arrested on October 30.
Online Reporter