Two Harare Men in Court for Allegedly Defrauding US$92,000 in Fake Residential Stand Deal
By Judith Nyuke
Two Harare men appeared in court on Friday, facing fraud charges after allegedly defrauding a man of US$92,000 in a botched residential stand deal.
Shadreck Dzapasi and Steady Munyoro, residents of Norton and Chitungwiza respectively, appeared in a Harare court before magistrate Apollonia Marutya.
They were each granted US$250 bail and ordered to return to court on January 17, 2025.
State prosecutor Rufaro Chonzi alleges that sometime in January 2024, the complainant thought of purchasing land for residential stands and he wrote an application for the plece of land addressed to City of Harare’s Department of Housing and Community Service.
When the complainant proceeded to City of Harare offices Remembrance Drive, Harare, he met Dzapasi whom he knew for quite some time in political circles.
The complainant allegedly told Dzapasi his intentions to acquire a piece of land.
The court heard that Dzapasi misrepresented to the complainant that Munyoro was an employee of Harare City Council and was able to speed up the process.
It is further alleges that the complainant was deceived into believing that Munyoro was an influential person within the City of Harare hence he decided to engage him.
The complainant was then taken to Munyoro by Dzapasi who was wearing a white dust coat inscribed City of Harare.
When they met, Munyoro was allegedly wearing a wearing a white dist voat inscribed City of Harare.
He misrepresented to the complainant thag his name was Samuel Chakacha and was employed by City of Harare.
He allegedly indicated to the complainant that he could quickly process his application and would ensure that land will be aliocated to him without delay.
The court heard that Munyoro took the complainant’s application letter in the pretext that he was going to process it and he advised the complainant to make payments through him.
During the period between June 2024 and October 2024, the complainant paid a total of US$92 000.00 to both the accused persons on different occasions.
Munyoro is being accused of signing for the money on each occasion and would give the complainant fake City of Harare receipts.
Sometime during the month of November 2024, the complainant went to City of Harare to check the position of his application but he failed to locate his file.
The complainant made his own inquiries and discovered that Dzapasi was not even employed by City of Harare.
The complainant tried to engage the accused persons but nothing materialized.
