Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
SELLING residential stands that allegedly do not exist, saw a woman from Chitungwiza, Natasha Rangarirai Mutambirwa in court yesterday, facing allegations of defrauding 17 unsuspecting home seekers of US$95 545.
Mutambirwa appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Ruth Moyo on fraud charges and was granted US$200 bail.
The complainants, all represented by Mr Nigel Manhoko, allege that Mutambirwa, acting in collusion with accomplices Tawanda Zeze, Hazel Tanyanyiwa, Emily Jiri, and Gladys Jiri, who remain at large, executed a scheme designed to exploit the victims’ desire for affordable housing.
According to Prosecutor Mr Lawrence Gangarahwe, the alleged fraud occurred between 2019 and 2025.
Mutambirwa and her co-accused reportedly established a fictitious entity named More Than Conquerors Trust, which they advertised as an organisation offering residential stands for sale.
They claimed that the trust had donors willing to cover 85 percent of the purchase price, leaving potential buyers to pay only 15 percent.
To attract victims, Mutambirwa allegedly invited them to her offices in Harare, where she requested a non-refundable joining fee of US$200.
Acting on this misrepresentation, the victims joined the trust and made various payments totalling US$95 545 towards the purchase of residential stands and houses.
But after making these payments, no stands were allocated to the complainants.
Repeated follow-ups with Mutambirwa yielded no results, prompting the victims to file a police report.
It is alleged that Mutambirwa and her accomplices pocketed the money, leaving the home seekers without stands or any form of compensation.
The total financial loss incurred by the complainants amounts to US$95 545, and to date, no recovery of the funds has been made.
