Council boss up for US$400k land scam

HARARE City Council’s chief clerical officer in the finance department, Felix Chisango and his two accomplices last week appeared in court for illegally acquiring and selling derelict land worth over US$400 000.

Chisango (48) is jointly charged with Abel Zhuwao (50), who is the director of Greenway Multiple Agency (Pvt) Ltd and Conwell Mutevhe (38) a legal practitioner and managing partner at MC Mukome Legal Practitioners in Harare.

They appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mr Taurai Manuwere, who granted them US$150 bail.

They will return to court on June 28 for routine remand.

Prosecuting, Mr Anesu Chirenje alleged that sometime in 2018, Lusitania Primary School in Harare identified stands 314 and 315 Athlone Township of Lot 2A Greengrove as derelict land through its hired consultant Cannan Mugiyi, who is also a town planner.

The land had been abandoned by its owners the United Services Club for over 20 years.

Lusitania Primary School wanted City of Harare to invoke the Derelict Land Act and Title Registration Act so that it could legally acquire title to the land.

Mugiyi, acting on behalf of the school, engaged council about his intention to acquire the derelict land since his client wanted to construct a high school on the stands.

It is alleged that Chisango got information about the derelict land when the council valuation department wrote to the chamber secretary requesting to proceed in terms of Title Registration and Derelict Land Act.

Chisango allegedly engaged Zhuwao to fraudulently acquire the property.

Zhuwao then assigned Mutevhe to apply for registration of title.

Mutevhe is alleged to have prepared a High Court application representing Greenway Multiple Agency purporting that the land in question was legally acquired from United Services Club sometime in 2008.

To cover up for the misrepresentation, it is alleged that the three attached a fake agreement of sale, which purported to have been entered into between Greenway Multiple Agency and United Service Club.

The court also heard that the trio allegedly forged the signature of Amos Kanyongo, who is also a director of Greenway Multiple Agency.

In the High Court application, a founding affidavit was attached purportedly deposited by Kanyongo and his signature was also used.

Mutevhe allegedly prepared the application, and instead of using his name, he inserted the details of Mabasa Crispen Mukome, a senior partner at his firm.

He allegedly went on to forge Mukome’s signatures on all the court papers while using fake company references on the documents.

Mutevhe also reportedly lured Tawanda Gondo, a messenger at MC Mukome Legal Practitioners, to misrepresent that he had served Brighton Vito, a purported United Service Club representative.

It is further alleged that the trio forged an agreement of sale for the land and acting upon the misrepresentation, the High Court granted the order for change of title.

Zhuwao allegedly rewarded Chisango by appointing him a director at Greenway Multiple Agency.

The three accused persons went on to sell the land to Referral Enterprises (Pvt) Ltd for US$400 000 and shared the money among themselves.