Fake lands officer in US$30K fraud

FRAUDULENT lands officer, John Chakahwanda, has been charged with new fraud charges amounting to over US$30 000, in which he tricked desperate land seekers.

He has previously appeared in court in 2017 and last year also facing similar allegations.

The allegations suggest that in March 2021, Chakahwanda, posing as an official from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Wildlife, Fisheries and Rural Development, took the complainant, Epimarco Saul Tigere Muswerakuenda, to the lands office at Old Makombe building and introduced him to Victor Mukuchamano.

Mukuchamano, who is on the run, was referred to as a lands officer and he told Muswerakuenda to pay an introduction fee of US$400. After receiving the money, the duo said they had to go to Zvimba to see Chief Zvimba as the alleged land was within his area.

They all went to Zvimba on the same day, and upon arrival at Chief Zvimba’s homestead, Chakahwanda did the introductions and told him that Muswerakuenda was the one looking for land.

Chief Zvimba is said to have instructed the two to offer Muswerakuenda the land.

After a few days, Muswerakuenda met the duo in Greendale where they demanded money to kick start the process.

He paid US$10 400, and later gave Chakahwanda US$2 500 to have the offer letter of a 52.44-hectare farm signed.

When they went to see the land, he noticed that the unsigned offer letter was fake and Chakahwanda disappeared, claiming he was going to the toilet. Muswerakuenda later read an article in H-Metro that the two were fake land officers and he made a police report.

Yemurai Huni and Nyasha Madzima lost US$12 400 and US$5 340 respectively to the duo using the same method.

Chakahwanda was remanded in custody pending bail hearing today.

Rufaro Chonzi prosecuted.