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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
Standard Chartered Bank legal advisor Ms Martha Bhunu lost $10 500 to estate agents in a botched residential stand deal in Harare’s Pomona suburb.

The estate agent, Grace Penemene (27), a director of Penrace Investments (Pvt) Ltd, appeared in court last week charged with fraud.

Harare magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo granted her $200 bail and ordered her to report every Friday at CID Serious Frauds.

Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleges that sometime in April this year Penemene connived with Joseph Muwanzi and Simon Boora, who have since appeared in court, to swindle home-seekers. The trio placed an advert on the Internet claiming they were selling a stand in Pomona. Bhunu responded to the advert and called Muwanzi. They met in town and proceeded to Pomona to view the stand (Number 761) measuring 800 square metres. They agreed on a price of $18 000 and went to Endlini Properties and Real Estate, run by Boora.

It is alleged that Boora confirmed that the stand was up for sale. He lied that it was being sold on behalf of Mukushi Housing Cooperative, which had a mandate from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to sale the stand. On April 13, Bhunu allegedly deposited $10 500 into the cooperative’s POSB bank account. On May 12 Bhunu entered an agreement of sale with the Boora and was issued with a lease agreement purportedly from the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing.

Bhunu later checked the authenticity of the lease agreement with the ministry and was told it was fake. She reported the matter to the police. Nothing of the payment was recovered.