Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
A Budiriro woman has appeared in court accused of defrauding a housing cooperative of more than US$269 700 after allegedly falsely claiming she had Government-approved residential stands at Gilstone Farm in Manyame.
The alleged scam left scores of home seekers counting their losses after they were evicted from the land and their houses demolished.
Sencia Maponga (59), of Budiriro 5A, appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing fraud charges.
She was granted US$200 bail and will return to court on July 31 for routine remand.
The complainant is Holyland Housing Cooperative Society, represented by its treasurer, Mr Samson Tegwe.
According to the State, Maponga, who is the founder of Hanna’s Tears Organisation, a registered private voluntary organisation operating in Harare, approached the cooperative at its offices in October 2025.
Prosecutors allege that she, acting in connivance with Peace Mafundukwa and Patrick Nzara, who are still at large, falsely represented that they had been allocated residential land at Gilstone Farm by the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works.
She allegedly offered the cooperative 300-square-metre residential stands for its members on condition that each member paid an initial deposit of US$390.
Believing the representation to be genuine, members of the cooperative paid deposits amounting to US$269 700.
The money was allegedly handed over to Maponga and her alleged accomplices, who issued receipts and allocated stands to the members.
The court heard that members took occupation of the land and began constructing houses.
However, in May this year, the scheme allegedly collapsed after the occupants were evicted from Gilstone Farm and their structures demolished following a public announcement by the Minister of Local Government and Public Works declaring the settlements illegal.
The matter was subsequently reported to the police, leading to investigations and Maponga’s arrest.
The State alleges that US$269 700 was prejudiced and nothing has been recovered.
