Chinese national loses US$170k in botched land dea...

Chinese national loses US$170k in botched land deal

Michael Mashiri

Zim Now Correspondent

A lawyer has been taken to court on allegations of defrauding US$170 000 from a Chinese national in a botched land deal.

Emmanuel Maganjera Mukwewa, 49, of Reinham Estates, appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with fraud.

Mukweva, who was coming from home, was remanded to July 30.

The complainant in this matter is Huang Liqiang, 49, who is involved in mining business.

Mukwewa is also a notary, conveyancer and administrator of estates.

The State, through prosecutor Anesu Chirenje, alleges that sometime in September 2023, Mukwewa’s accomplice Richard Paswa advertised on Whatsapp group that he was selling a piece of land at Corner of Seke and Cripps Roads in Arcadia.

In the advert, Paswa claimed the land measured 20 000 square meters and Liqiang became interested.

Paswa told him that he was the owner of the land which he was selling for US$400 000.

It is alleged that on September 9, last year Paswa told Liqiang to meet him at Mukwewa Law Chambers at number 276 Samora Machel Avenue in Harare.

They met and Paswa advised him to pay a deposit of US$170 000 and would then pay the remainder after the completion of the conveyancing process.

It is alleged that Mukwewa indicated the US$170 000, US$70 000 would be paid as the initial deposit upon signing of the agreement and the other US$100 000 would be paid upon production of diagrams and circulars from the City of Harare by Paswa.

The court heard that the two showed Liqiang a fraudulent diagram which motivated him to pay US$100 000.

All the money that was paid by Liqiang was receipted by Mukwewa through his law firm and he allegedly converted it to his own use.

Liqiang waited for further developments so that he could pay off the remaining balance but did not receive any communication from the two.

It is alleged that on March 28, Liqiang went to the land site and was surprised to see that a fence was erected on it and he contacted the accused persons but noone gave him a reasonable explanation of the development.

He made several efforts to engage the duo but Mukwewa became evasive while Paswa was no longer reachable.

It was then when Liqiang discovered that he had been defrauded and made a report to the police, leading to the arrest of Mukwewa while Paswa could not be located.

The investigations that were done revealed that no agreement of sale was signed between Liqiang and Paswa but instead, Mukweva, well knowing that the complainant is a Chinese national who cannot interpret the English language drafted an agreement of consultancy of immovable property.

It was established that the land that was sold to the complainant by the accused belonged to Newsprings Investments Pvt Ltd, who bought the land from the City Council in 2019.