Property Basket Directors Convicted for Illegal E...

Property Basket Directors Convicted for Illegal Estate Agent Practices

Zim Now Writer

Two directors of Property Basket (Private) Limited, Gift Sithole and Wilbert Mashingaidze, have been arrested and convicted for practicing as estate agents without being registered with the Estate Agents Council of Zimbabwe.

The duo was reported to the Zimbabwe Republic Police and subsequently taken to court for violating Section 60(1)(b) of the Estate Agents Act [Chapter 27:17].

They were found guilty and fined, with a writ of execution issued in default of payment.

Sithole and Mashingaidze were employed as Sales Negotiators at Darwin Properties, a registered real estate firm. The Principal Registered Estate Agent of Darwin Properties confirmed that the two were still employed at the company but had engaged in fraudulent activities by selling property belonging to their employer through their unregistered entity, Property Basket.

“They stole the property and sold it without our knowledge,” the PREA of Darwin Properties stated. A letter allegedly written by the two directors was presented as evidence, in which they admitted to selling their employer’s property through their bogus company.

Investigations by the EAC further revealed that Sithole received a total of US$19,750 as an agent commission from a Harare-based law firm.

The Estate Agents Council has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling fraudulent activities in the real estate sector, particularly cases where Sales Negotiators conceal sales from their employers and operate without proper registration.