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Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent

A land dealer who allegedly lied he was an official agent for Chitungwiza Municipality duped a potential buyer of US$10 000 by selling him an unapproved commercial stand and offering a fake agreement of sale.

Innocent Mutswa yesterday appeared before magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi charged with fraud and was remanded out of custody to May 9 pending investigations.

Prosecuting, Ms Grace Magocheke alleged that between December 2021 and August 2022, Mutswa lied to the buyer that he was an agent of Chitungwiza Town Council charged with selling commercial stand 11707 St Mary’s, measuring 1 500 square metres and ready to be developed.

Mutswa is neither an agent nor an employee at Chitungwiza Municipality and he knew that the stand was put on hold for development due to the fact that the then Chitungwiza housing director was suspended and was being investigated over sales of land.

The man who was conned paid US$10 000 and Mutswa gave him a fake agreement of sale.

When the buyer visited Chitungwiza Town Council, he was told that the agreement of sale was not genuine as the stands were not being sold. 

A report was made to the police leading to Mutswa’s arrest and only US$2 500 was recovered.