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Fungai Lupande Court Reporter
More suspected land barons appeared in court today facing charges of defrauding home seekers of close to $100 000.

Among the suspects that appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo was a pair working for the Ministry Youth, Indigenisation and Economic Empowerment  – Roy Chikumene (36) and Tererai Method Mutasa (32) – jointly charged with Reginald Chisangowerotah, a soldier.
Their accomplices are Kundidzora Sanangurayi (33), Never Chigogo (28) and Mark Murevanhema (26).

Harare magistrate Mr Francis Mapfumo granted them $100 bail each and ordered them not to transact in any business in the name of a co-operative.

They were also ordered to report every Friday at CID Law and Order and to reside at their given addresses.

Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that between January 29, 2013 and August 15 this year the six formed Tinotenda Baba Housing co-operative society.

They registered the co-operative with the Small to Medium Scale Enterprise and were given a certificate of reference number 5466 before allegedly identifying an open space of land measuring 10 hectares in Budiriro 5A and constructed a wooden cabin.

They purported that they had been allocated the land by Harare City Council and invited home seekers to join the housing co-operative.

Each of their 108 members paid $20 as joining fee and $40 per month thereafter as subscriptions.

On October 31, 2013 the six applied to the City of Harare, Director of Housing and Community Services requesting for the 150 stands to be serviced.

The City of Harare notified the co-operative that it was placed on the waiting list.

The accused went on to survey, construct roads and subdivide the land allocating stands.

Some of the members constructed temporary structures. The offence came to light when the City of Harare carried out a land audit.

The co-operative members lost $90 000 and nothing was recovered. Seven other land barons have since appeared in court for selling State and council land to unsuspecting home seekers. They were all granted bail.