dyton mupawaenda
Zvikomborero Parafini
A LEADING real estate company, Centurian Empire Properties (Pvt) Ltd, is in trouble after its director allegedly duped a man of US$18 000 in a botched stand transaction.
The company, and its director Portia Getrude Wine, appeared before magistrate Dennis Mangosi yesterday charged with fraud.
The complainant is Whatmore Karangura, who is a commodity broker.
Allegations are that in 2021, Wine hatched a plan to defraud Karangura and approached him purporting that she had a stand for sale in Retreat, Waterfalls, which was going for US$7000. Karangura got interested in the deal and was showed two stands.
He selected a stand with a cottage and paid in installments for 24 months.
He signed an agreement of sale.
On August 21, 2021, after Karangura had fully paid for the stand, Wine allegedly approached him and misrepresented that she had a medium density stand in Glaudina, Harare, which was going for US$18 000.
Karangura got interested and was advised to pay a top-up of US$11 000 so that he could be transferred from Waterfalls Retreat to Glaudina.
Between August 2022, and January this year, Karangura paid part of the top-up with his car, a Mercedes Benz C180 Kompressor, registration number ACF 7197, and the outstanding balance was paid for in cash.
Wine allegedly gave him a fake agreement of sale, and confirmation letter, acknowledging that she had received a total of US$18 000.
When Karangura tried to do some developments on the stand, he did some due diligence with Harare City Council and found out that the stand was not legitimate, promoting him to file a police report.
Online Reporter