Wenslus Murape
THE US$4,5 million fraud, in which a businessman was duped into buying two pieces of land in Harare, and donating an ambulance to a fake charity organisation, continues to net more suspects.
At the weekend, the number of those who have been implicated in the scandal rose to SEVEN.
They include a lawyer and a Councillor.
At the weekend, Wengai Tsomba joined his accomplices Blessing Munemo, Gerald Saidi, Lovejoy Mujati, Nigel Chimbwanda, Nathan Gowoko and Timothy Gowo, who appeared in court two weeks ago, and were denied bail by regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa.
The State claims they illegally sold land to Andrew Sean Baker, the director of Atticus Investments Private Limited and Big Poppa’s (Pvt) Ltd, for US$4,5 million.
Munemo is the Seke Ward 1 Councillor.
Saidi is a lawyer.
The crew have been implicated in the fraud case in which the gang is said to have duped a businessman into buying two pieces of land and donating an ambulance for a fake charity organisation.
Tsomba was dragged to court over the weekend.
The court heard that in 2022, Saidi was told that there was a vacant stand in Kuwadzana, Harare, costing US$1,7 million.
It is alleged that between May and October 2022, his accomplice fully paid the amount to the gang, through Saidi’s office. The complainant allegedly went on to pay US$51 000 for capital gains tax and about US$65 000 for transfer fees at Saidi’s workplace.
It is the State’s case that the gang allegedly produced fake documents with the signatures of senior Government officials and persuaded the complainant that the transactions were above board.
This year, the complainant went to the Kuwadzana stand with the intention to fence it but was stopped from doing so by residents, who were being represented by the head teacher of a nearby school.
The residents claimed it was their land. The complainant lost US$ 1 816 000 and nothing was recovered.
In the second count, the court heard that between May and October 2022, the crew sold 109 hectares of land situated, opposite the Defence College in Marlborough, Harare.
The complainant paid US$2 million for the land and also paid US$100 000 for capital gains tax and US$78 800 for transfer fees.
On July 22, a report of criminal trespassing was filed at Marlborough Police Station against the complainant.
The complainant lost US$2 178 000 in the transaction and nothing was recovered.
In another charge, in December last year, Munemo and his accomplices allegedly asked the complainant to donate an ambulance to a charity organisation.
Acting on the misrepresentation, the complainant handed over a new unregistered Toyota Landcruiser ambulance valued at US$100 000 to Saidi. They misrepresented to the complainant that the ambulance had been handed over to a charity organisation. However, the gang took the ambulance to a car sale and sold it for US$60 000 on July 25.
The matter only came to light when the complainant suspected that he had been duped and filed a police report.
The ambulance was recovered at the car sale by the police.
Online Reporter