The Sunday Mail
Seven of the 15 suspected land barons arrested last week for allegedly selling State and municipal land while working in cahoots with senior Harare City Council officials appeared before a Harare Magistrate yesterday and were remanded in custody to Monday.
It is alleged they have been operating since 2012, taking thousands of dollars from unsuspecting home-seekers.
Driver Kasambarare, Pardon Manyima, Daniel Nyamano, Innocent Chanakirwa and Dominico Mark appeared before magistrate Mr Vakayi Douglas Chikwekwe for their initial remand hearing, while Clifford Chimusoro and Stanley Magari were formally charged with fraud.
Investigating officer Samuel Gono alleged that some of the accused “were in possession of council resolutions fraudulently obtained from the City of Harare”. It is the State’s case that Chimusoro and Mugari acted as Ebenezer Hosing Co-operative chairperson and secretary, respectively, since 2012.
In 2014, it is alleged, the accused obtained a council resolution from the Department of Urban Planning Services which sought a change of use approval for land in Budiriro from primary school use to residential use.
“The accused went on to use the documents to unlawfully parcel out 100 stands to members of the co-operative without the city father’s approval,” the State argues.
“The matter then came to the attention of the council who advised them to stop further developments as the land was reserved for primary school.”
It is further alleged that the members of the co-operative did not stop developing the land, which led council to report the matter to the police where investigations showed that at least 143 home seekers were allegedly duped of US$134 000.
Chimusoro and Mugari implicated Takewell Mutata, Richard Bizeck, Collen Dawatawa, Fedelis Purazi and Christopher Nhau, who are still at large.
The arrest of the suspected land barons follows a probe triggered by the mushrooming of illegal settlements across the capital, which has seen some houses being built on wetlands and land reserved for recreational facilities.
Government last Thursday ordered police to arrest people illegally selling land after it had emerged the perpetrators were abusing Zanu-PF’s name and party positions to fleece desperate home seekers.
Two weeks ago, Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Saviour Kasukuwere said Government was investigating six MDC- T councillors accused of illegally parcelling land to housing co-operatives.
Those under investigation are Cllrs Paula Macharangwand (ward 5), Charles Nyatsuro (Harare Central), Special Zuze (ward 26), Luckson Mukunguma (Highfield), Tungamirai Madzokere (Glen View), and the late Lancelot Mudavanhu (Mabelreign).
