Official’s illegal land deals backfire

ZANU-PF’S Mashonaland West political commissar Simon Solomon yesterday appeared in court on allegations of engaging in irregular land deals after he allegedly sold a farm for $10 000.

Since the launch of the land reform programme in 2000 the bulk of farmland now belongs to the State and cannot be sold privately.

Solomon appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa who released him on $100 bail and remanded the matter to January 7, 2019.

Allegations are that during the period between March 2017 and September 2018 the complainant Freeman Mhlanga went to Chegutu District Lands offices to apply for land under the Land Reform Programme, but none was available.

He was then introduced to Enia Chuma who was said to have the capacity to assist him in getting the land. Chuma later told Mhlanga that Solomon was selling some plots.

The three met and he was initially charged $15 000 for one of the plots and he successfully negotiated for a reduction to $12 000.

Mhlanga was then taken to Silver Star Farm, Kadoma by Chuma, Solomon and Japhet Kaswaurere where he was shown two pieces of land and he expressed interest.

The other plot was alleged owned by Vengesai Kurimakwaramba who is still at large. Kurimakwaramba then wrote an affidavit confirming that he was the legal owner of the plot.

Mhlanga went to Ecobank and transferred $10 000 into Solomon’s bank account.

He was then given a fake land ownership letter by Kaswaurere who is employed by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement at Mhondoro-Ngezi lands office as a data capture clerk.

They promised Mhlanga that the actual offer letter would be processed in due course.

As a result of the misrepresentation, Mhlanga was prejudiced of $10 000 and nothing was recovered.