Two jailed for defrauding land seekers of US$7.15k

Zim Now Writer

Two men from Mvuma were last week sentenced to one and a half years in jail each for defrauding two land seekers of US$7 150 when they appeared before magistrate Constance Mutandwa.

Bernard Hlongwani, 37, of Central Estate Headquarters compound, Mvuma and Silvester Chiurunga, 61, of plot number 453 Central Estates, Mvuma reportedly pretended to be land officers in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate and Rural Development to the land seekers.

The third suspect, Timothy Mhike, is still at large.

The three defrauded Guest Mushambi, 46, of US$4 700 and Thomas Madiro Tinago, 51, of US$2 450 between 2021 and 2022.
Mutandwa cautioned land seekers against paying money to individuals without verifying their identities, adding that cash is receipted in offices and not at street corners.

The magistrate suspended four months of the sentence on condition that Hlongwani and Chiurunga do not commit a similar offence in the next five years while a further eight months were suspended on condition they restitute the complainants.

Prosecuting, Takudzwa Mtyawawiri told the court that sometime in July 2021, Mhike told Hlongwani that Thomas Madiro Tinago, 51, of Turf in Kadoma, was looking for a piece of land.

Hlongwani misrepresented himself as a lands officer and the two met at Tinago’s house in Kadoma in August 2021 where Hlongwani was given US$1 500, claiming it was for processing paperwork.

In July 2022, Chiurunga and Mhike met Tinago in Mvuma and indicated that 50 hectares of land were available for US$3 000 in Central Estates, Mvuma and Tiunago paid US$950 to Chiurunga as down payment and he was allocated the land in August 2022.

Hlongwani, Mhike and Chiurunga also met Mushambi in July 2022 in Mvuma and told him that they were selling a 50-hectare piece of land measuring 50 hectares in Central Estates, Mvuma for US$4 700.

Hlongwani then gave Mushambi a fake offer letter and drove him to Central Estates where they showed him the 50 hectare piece of land in Lan Fourie’s plot.

They returned to Mvuma and Mushambi paid the whole amount to Chiurunga in the presence of Hlongwani and Mhike.

The fraud came to light on December 6, 2022, when police evicted Tinago and Mushambi and informed them that the land belongs to Lan Fourie.

They then reported the matter to the police.