Borrowdale school owner duped US$34k in land scam

Michael Mashiri

A New Marimba man who defrauded US$34 000 in a land deal has appeared in court.

Fajen Chingwaru, 39, of Msasa Road, New Marimba, appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with fraud.

The second accused in this matter, Matambo is still at large.

The complainant in this matter is Edwin Nyamukondiwa, 53, of Greendale, the owner of King Solomon School Borrowdale.

The State, alleges that, sometime between March and April 2023, Nyamukondiwa met Chingwaru at King Solomon School in Borrowdale.

Both parties are not related but they knew each other very well since the one of the accused person had worked at Nyamukondiwa’s school.

They started talking about how to succeed in life through property investment.

During this conversation Nyamukondiwa said he wanted a piece of land to construct an orphanage home and a church.

Chingwaru said he had a farm measuring one hundred and thirteen hectares which he was selling.

Nyamukondiwa was interested and said he had been duped several times in a bid to purchase land.

Chingwaru assured Nyamukondiwa that he must forget about being duped as he had met the right person in such deals.

Chingwaru said he was going to get an offer letter once Nyamukondiwa had paid the required amount.

Nyamukondiwa then believed that Chingwaru and that he was going to take him to the farm before he makes any payment.

The parties then agreed to make a field visit to Mazowe.

Sometime in March, both parties met and they went Mazowe area led by the accused persons.

When they arrived, Chingwaru showed Nyamukondiwa a piece of land and the latter started to believe the two accused.

The parties drove back and Chingwaru and Matambo went on to state that the farm cost US$34 000.

Nyamukondiwa initially paid US$15 000 to Chingwaru and Matambo at King Solomon School in Borrowdale on the March 23, 2023 during the day.

The next day, Nyamukondiwa paid another US$15 000 to the two.

The two then told Nyamukondiwa that he would receive his offer letter by the April 7, 2023.

Nyamukondiwa later liaised with Matambo in a bid to get the offer letter but he went on to give false promises.

Later on, he said he had processed a 95-year lease, as such Nyamukondiwa was supposed to top-up US$2 500.

Nyamukondiwa then paid the required amount to the two accused persons.

Chingwaru further demanded a payment of US$1 500 as agent fees and Nyamukondiwa paid the money to him.

Nyamukondiwa then later made a report after observing that the two were lying to him, leading to the arrest of Chingwaru.

The total amount that Nyamukondiwa lost is US$34 000 and nothing was recovered.

Chingwaru will appear in court on June 26 for bail application.