Wenslus Murape
Zvikomborero Parafini
A SENIOR ZESA engineer was duped into buying a stand set aside for a school in Budiriro.
Keith Chikomo was duped into purchasing the stand worth US$8000 by former Ward 33 Councillor Joseph Kumbirai Kunashe and his accomplice Godwill Matombo.
The two appeared in court charged with fraud.
The circumstances are that the City of Harare owns a piece of land sited as Stand Number 8169, Budiriro, measuring 6,5 hectares under Site Plan Number TPY 483/1.
It is reserved for a primary school.
The State alleged that from 2016 to 2023, Eriakem Pawapingwa, who is still at large, fraudulently and unlawfully subdivided the reserved piece of land into residential stands.
He started parcelling out the stands through a co-operative by the name ‘First Budiriro Housing Co-operative’.
In August last year, Chikomo got information from Artwell Kasawaya that Matombo was selling residential stands in Budiriro 5B, Harare.
He got interested and Kasawaya arranged for a meeting between Chikomo and Matombo.
On August 18 last year, Chikomo met Matombo and Pawapingwa at High Glen police post.
Pawapingwa was introduced as the owner of the stand.
The two took Chikomo to Kunashe, who was the Councillor at the time, and he confirmed verbally that Pawapingwa was the owner of the stand.
Acting on the misrepresentation, Chikomo went to view the stand and agreed to buy it for US$8500.
He made an initial deposit of US$1000 and made a second payment of US$5000.
He paid another US$100, which was said to be for processing his offer letter.
In February this year, Chikomo received information that the stand he had purchased was for school construction and went to demand his money back.
His efforts were fruitless prompting him to file a police report.
Kunashe and Matombo were released on US$200 bail each and were ordered to report once a week at ZACC offices.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter