Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini-Court Reporter
A 62-YEAR-OLD Harare man has appeared in court on allegations of defrauding prospective land seekers of US$127 900 in a bogus commercial farm allocation scheme.
Tererai Louis Mutasa appeared before Harare Regional Magistrate Francis Mapfumo, who granted him US$500 bail.
The State alleges that sometime in January this year, Mutasa, acting in connivance with an accomplice who is still at large, approached Patricia Mbetu and offered to facilitate the allocation of commercial farmland through the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development in prime agricultural regions across Zimbabwe.
Prosecutors alleged that the complainant mobilised 57 prospective beneficiaries, who paid various amounts after being shown purported offer letters for commercial farms.
The money, allegedly collected between January 19 and April 8, 2026, was forwarded to Mutasa as facilitation fees.
It is alleged that after receiving the money, Mutasa sent application forms to the beneficiaries and later issued them with offer letters.
The alleged scam came to light after the complainant verified the documents with officials from the Ministry of Lands and Rural Development in Chinhoyi, who allegedly established that the farms listed on the offer letters did not exist.
Police investigations further revealed that the farms purportedly being allocated in Mashonaland West Province were fictitious.
The State alleged that the complainants suffered a combined prejudice of US$127 900, and that nothing has been recovered.
The prosecution says it will rely on witness testimony, a receipt book allegedly used in the scheme, offer letters allegedly authored by Mutasa, and CCTV footage as part of its case.
Ms Cecilia Mashingaidze appeared for the State.
