Man in Court for Fraudulently Selling Cooperative ...

Man in Court for Fraudulently Selling Cooperative Land

Munyaradzi Mashiri

Zim Now Court Correspondent

A man allegedly involved in a scheme to unlawfully sell land belonging to the Madzibaba Border Gezi Housing Cooperative has been brought before the court. Ronald Kagombo, 42, of Houghton Park, appeared at the Harare Magistrates' Court on fraud charges and is set to return for a hearing on October 16, 2024.

The complainant in this case is the Border Gezi Housing Cooperative, represented by its chairman, Partwel Machipa, who resides at House number 82, Madzibaba Border Gezi Housing Cooperative, Ushewekunze.

According to the State, between September 2023 and May 2024, Kagombo, working in collaboration with Richard Chabaya and Chamunorwa Nyamadzawo—both already remanded—devised a scheme to defraud desperate home seekers. They allegedly misrepresented that land allocated to the Madzibaba Border Gezi Housing Cooperative by the government in Ushewekunze, Harare, had been reallocated to Analem Company, trading as Full Task Project Managers Company, and the Ministry of Defense staff.

The accused reportedly convinced several home seekers that the land was available for residential stands. These unsuspecting buyers paid amounts ranging from US$250 to US$500, believing they were securing plots of land.

The fraud came to light in May 2024 when the complainant witnessed Kagombo and Nyamadzawo illegally allocating these stands to home seekers without any formal approval. The land had been designated for industrial purposes by the cooperative and assigned to its surveyor for services rendered.

As a result of this misrepresentation, the Border Gezi Housing Cooperative suffered damage to its operations and administration.

Kagombo faces charges of fraud, and the case is set to continue in mid-October.