Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Weekender Reporter
A FORMER Rusape Town Council housing clerk, Tendai Museka, who allegedly teamed up with his mother to sell a residential stand belonging to someone else to an unsuspecting home seeker, is now on the run.
His mother, Handinawangu Mukwada (53), of Rusape, appeared in court on Monday facing allegations of fraud.
She was remanded in custody pending bail ruling on Wednesday.
Mukwada was arrested and charged with fraud after selling a residential stand in Magamba suburb for US$6 000 to Tatenda Magobo, despite the stand belonging to Tendai Nyatondo.
Museka, who was employed as a housing clerk, allegedly tampered with the internal council system and removed Nyatondo’s name from Stand Number 4003 Magamba, substituting it with Mukwada’s name.
Mukwada subsequently sold the stand to Magobo and entered into an agreement of sale.
Prosecutor, Ms Faith Mutukwa told the court that Magobo went to Rusape Town Council intending to pay rates for the stand, only to be advised that the stand belonged to Nyatondo. “The complainant is Tatenda Magobo (38), of Number 106, Curlew Road, Borrowdale, Harare, and employed as a teacher at Heritage Primary School. Sometime in February 2022, Mukwada and her accomplice, Tendayi Evans Museka, who is still at large, got information that Magobo was looking for a residential stand to buy.
“Museka, at the material time, was a Rusape Town Council employee, who had access to council housing department records. He went to the housing records and took out the record for Stand Number 4003, Magamba, Rusape.
“He swapped the details of the owner, Tendai Nyatondo, with those of Handinawangu Mukwada. Mukwada and Museka then offered the above-mentioned stand to the complainant. The complainant was shown by Mukwada the changed record at Rusape Town Council, which led her to believe the stand belonged to the accused person, and she paid the full price of the stand of US$6 000.
“An agreement of sale was signed between Mukwada and Magobo. Sometime in August 2025, the complainant went to Rusape Town Council to pay rates, and she was informed that she had been duped,” said Ms Mutukwa.
Efforts to recover her money drew blanks as Mukwada had changed her number, while the Dangamvura address she had provided on the agreement of sale turned out to be fake.
Detectives had to track her to her rural home in Marange, where she was reportedly hiding, and arrested her.
“The complainant tried to get in touch with the accused, but she had already changed her phone number.
‘‘The complainant also went to House Number 696, Dangamvura, Mutare, which was provided by the accused person, and discovered that it was fake. The complainant filed a report with the police. Investigations were carried out, leading to the accused person’s arrest in Mukwada area of Mutare District. The value stolen is US$6 000, and nothing was recovered,” said Ms Mutukwa.
Rusape magistrate, Mrs Barbra Mateko, was expected to make her bail ruling on Wednesday.
