Zvikomborero Parafini
A LAND baron, who has been allegedly parcelling out land in Msasa Park, is expected back in court today where his fraud trial, on some of the charges, is set to get underway today.
Tawanda Oswell Jambwa will answer to two fraud counts today.
The first complainant is Hebrone Vengayi Magaisa of 4222 New Msasa Park Hatfield, Harare.
Allegations are that in 2012 Jambwa, together with other illegal settlers, invaded stand number 560 in Chadcombe, measuring 279,8 hectares. It belongs to Msasa Park (Pvt) Ltd. In July 2023, Msasa Park advised all illegal settlers, including Jambwa, to stop the illegal parceling and selling of stands since the company has the mandate to sell as the sole owner. Msasa Park then opted to regularise the stands of the illegal settlers and directed all people to make payments to their legal practitioners — Bruce Tokwe Commercial Law Chambers.
It is alleged that during the same period Jambwa, knowing that the land in question is wholly owned by Msasa Park, connived with one Rami, who is still at large, and hatched a plan to defraud innocent land seekers of their hard earned cash, by selling stands which they did not own.
Rami allegedly flighted on Facebook a residential stand for sale at New Msasa Park, Harare, measuring 400 square meters at a purchase of US$12,000.
Magaisa, who was looking for a residential stand to buy, came across the advert and got interested and contacted Rami to verify about the stand.
Rami confirmed to him that she was selling a residential stand in partnership with Jambwa.
Rami allegedly referred Magaisa to Jambwa for further processing indicating that he is the owner of the stand in question.
Jambwa took Magaisa to the site for viewing.
Magaisa then paid US$9500 at the stand site to Jambwa towards the purchase of the stand.
They signed an Agreement of Sale and no receipts were issued to Magaisa. The offence came to light when Magaisa got information that the stand, which he bought from Jambwa, belonged to Msasa Park, prompting him to file a police report.
The second complainant is Feris Dzemunyasi.
Dzemunyasi bought a stand from Jambwa after seeing an advert on Facebook posted by Yauma Properties.
He paid US$5,000 and later fund out that the stand belonged to Msasa Park and filed a police report.