Mabvuku/Donnybrook Housing Consortium chairperson,...

Mabvuku/Donnybrook Housing Consortium chairperson, secretary in court over 13 counts of fraud

Michael Mashiri

Mabvuku/Donnybrook Housing Consortium chairperson and the secretary have been arraigned before the court, facing thirteen counts of fraud.

Lloyd Maungira, 48, of Crowbrough North, and Murambiwa Makumire, 46, of Lomagundi Road, Emarald Hill, appeared before magistrate Apolonia Marutya, charged with thirteen counts of fraud.

They were granted US$100 bail and will appear in court on March 24.

The complainant Garikai Leonard.

The State, through prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi, alleges that in 2017, Garikai was given a provisional offer letter by City of Harare Council, following representations by the accused, Garikai joined the Mabvuku/Donny Brooke Housing Consortium.

It is alleged that since 2020 to date, the duo allegedly defrauded Garikai, taking advantage of his desperation to get a residential stand in Mabvuku.

The two allegedly lied on several occasions that various amounts of money were required as payment for development of the land in Mabvuku.

The various amounts were in the name of legal fees which started at US$2 then gradually increased over the years from US$2 to US$5, from US$5 to US$10 and finally to US$20 per year.

The other fees were survey fees US$100, borehole fee US$30, drawings US$150, allocation fee US$120, plan drawing US$100, group contribution US$450, audit fees US$20, cover fee US$200 and administration fees, which started as US$5 per month then increased to US$10.

The complainant believed that the money was really meant for development of his stands, and made payments amounting to US$355.

The State alleges that all the time, Maungira or Murambiwa would collect the money and acknowledge receipt by signing for it.

It is alleged that when the two lied, they collected money knowing that the land belonged to the City of Harare and that they had no authority to distribute any land.

Investigations established that the land was Council land and they had no right to collect money from people.

The State also alleges that, the two defrauded Nyanhanga Beatrice Sipiwe in 2017, after she was issued with a provisional offer letter by the City of Harare.

After allegedly being lied to, Nyanhanga joined the Mabvuku/Donny Brooke Housing Consortium.

Since 2020 to date, the two allegedly lied on several occasions that various amounts of money were required as payment for development of the land in Mabvuku.

The various amounts were paid through the two accused and due to this misrepresentation, Nyanhanga paid a total of US$785 in the name of monthly administration fees, survey fees, drawing of plans, borehole drilling, road designs, allocation fees and legal services fees.

It is also alleged that the two defrauded Doreen Zinhumwe.

In 2017, Zinhumwe was issued with a provisional offer letter by the City of Harare.

They lied to Zinhumwe that they had the capacity to facilitate a stand for her in Mabvuku, resulting in her joining the Mabvuku/Donny Brooke Housing Consortium.

Since 2020 to date, the duo allegedly defrauded Zinhumwe by making her pay several amounts, in the name of legal fees, survey fees US$100, borehole fee US$30, drawings US$150, allocation fee US$120, plan drawing US$100, group contribution US$450, audit fees US$20.

“Believing that the money was really meant for development of the stands, Zinhumwe made payments amounting to US$835,” the State alleged.

Either of the accused persons would collect the money and acknowledge receipt by signing for it.