Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
A company director, Simbarashe Mwanandimai (43) of Borrowdale has been brought before the Harare Magistrates’ Court on allegations of defrauding a home-seeker of US$65 500 by selling a residential stand he did not legally own.
Mwanandimai, the director of EDI Resources, appeared before magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo facing a fraud charge.
He was granted bail of US$100 and is expected back in court on June 24.
The complainant, Mr Edwin Bako, was allegedly duped by Mwanandimai in a deal involving a residential stand in Mandara, Harare.
According to the prosecutor, Mr Takudzwa Jambawu, Mwanandimai acquired a subdivision of stand number 124 Mandara Salisbury of Lot 5A in July 2023.
The stand, measuring 1 000 square metres, was priced at US$60 000.
Mwanandimai made an initial payment of US$15 000 to the original owner, Mr Zenzo Lusengo, with the balance to be paid in four monthly instalments.
An agreement of cession was signed between the two parties.
However, in May 2024, before completing payment and securing formal ownership of the stand, Mwanandimai allegedly sold the same property to Bako for US$53 000.
Under the new agreement, Bako paid an initial deposit of US$30 000 through his lawyer, Alex Mambosasa of Mambosasa Legal Practitioners, with the remaining balance to be settled within a month.
Despite the agreed price, Bako ended up paying a total of US$60 000 due to penalties for late payment.
Bako then took possession of the stand.
He cleared trees, drilled a 40-meter borehole, and submitted building plans to the Harare City Council.
However, trouble began in January 2025 when Mwanandimai failed to meet his payment obligations to Lusengo, resulting in the cancellation of their agreement.
Lusengo refunded Mwanandimai’s deposit of US$15 000 and reclaimed ownership of the stand.
In March 2025, Bako visited the stand only to find it occupied by someone else, who claimed to have purchased the property directly from Lusengo.
He then realised that he had been defrauded and Bako reported the matter to the police.
The fraudulent deal left Bako with a financial loss of US$65 500, and nothing had been recovered.
Online Reporter
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