Godwill Matombo, 53, of Budiriro 4, and Joseph Kunashe, 49, the former Councillor for Ward 33 Budiriro from 2018 to 2023, have appeared before the Harare Magistrates' Courts facing serious fraud allegations.
Both individuals were granted bail set at US$200 each and are scheduled to return to court on November 27, 2024.
The complainant in this case is Keith Chikomo, a senior engineer at the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company.
The court heard that the City of Harare owns a piece of land designated as stand number 8169, Budiriro, measuring 6.5 hectares, reserved explicitly for the construction of a primary school, with no approved change of use.
From 2016 to 2023, it is alleged that Eriakem Pawapingwa, who remains at large, fraudulently subdivided this reserved land into residential stands and began selling these plots through a cooperative known as the First Budiriro Housing Co-operative.
In August 2023, the complainant was informed by Artwell Kasawaya that Matombo was selling residential stands in Budiriro 5B, Harare. Interested in purchasing a stand, Chikomo arranged a meeting with Matombo through Kasawaya.
On August 18, 2023, Chikomo and his father, John Chikomo, met with Matombo and Pawapingwa at the High Glen police post in Harare to discuss the available stand. During the meeting, Matombo introduced Pawapingwa as the owner of the property.
Concerned about the legitimacy of the stand, Chikomo sought confirmation from Matombo and Pawapingwa, who assured him that the sale was genuine. Subsequently, they introduced Chikomo to Kunashe, who verbally confirmed that Pawapingwa was indeed the owner of the residential stand.
The complainant then viewed stand number 27573 Budiriro 5B, measuring 698 square meters, and agreed to purchase it for US$8,500. He made an initial deposit of US$1,000 on August 18, 2023, followed by an additional US$5,000 on August 24, 2023, bringing the total to US$6,000.
A week later, Pawapingwa requested an additional US$100, claiming it was needed for an offer letter processing fee, which Chikomo paid in cash.
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