Land developer appears in court for duping client

A HARARE land developer was recently hauled before the courts for allegedly duping an unsuspecting client of thousands of dollars in a bogus residential deal in Mutare.

Tawanda Rugara of Shine Plus Housing Development Trust appeared before Mutare magistrate Ms Perseverance Makala yesterday for allegedly selling a non-existent residential stand to Mrs Martha Mwedzi of Mt Dangare Primary School in Mutare.

He was accused of contravening Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act (Chapter 9:23). Mr Fletcher Karombe prosecuted. Rugara, who is set to appear in court on March 20 for trial continuation, was remanded out of custody.

It is alleged that sometime in July 2013, Shine Plus Housing Development Trust representatives approached Mrs Mwedzi at Mt Dangare Primary School and told her that they were selling residential stands in Mutare.

Mrs Mwedzi got interested and completed an application form for a residential stand, which was alleged to be on offer in the Gimboki area.

“She was going to pay for the residential stand in $50 monthly instalments, which was going to be deducted from her salary through the Salary Service Bureau (SSB),” said Mr Karombe.

“In August 2013, $50 was deducted from Mwedzi’s salary and she was issued with a letter of acceptance for a low-cost residential stand. She was promised to be allocated with a residential stand after contributing a total of $600 or $50 instalments over 12 months.”

Mr Karombe said after contributing $600, Mrs Mwedzi approached Rugara with a view to be allocated her residential stand, but was told that the stands were not available in Gimboki.

She was allegedly allocated an alternative one in Fern Valley area of Mutare.

She approached Rugara on several occasions to get the residential stand, but to no avail.

Mrs Mwedzi contributed a total of $2 700 towards the purchase of the stand, but nothing was delivered to her.

She failed to recover her money.