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Nyore Madzianike Senior Court Reporter
The director of One Thousand Construction Company, Joseph Murimwa and his business partner Trust Mururi, who runs Mururi Investments, yesterday appeared in court facing allegations of duping a home seeker of money and a car in a botched residential stands deal.

Murimwa and Mururi appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga on initial remand and were not asked to plead to charges of defrauding fellow businessman and socialite Mr Joseph Mhaka of US$1 500 and a Mercedes Benz vehicle.

Mrs Judith Taruvinga remanded the pair out of custody to October 27, on free bail.

Murimwa and Mururi are accused of duping Mr Mhaka of two residential stands which they claimed to be located in Belvedere West and Ruwa. The State, led by Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa, alleges that sometime in June this year, the duo approached Mhaka and told him that they had two stands for sale. It is said the two businessmen told Mhaka that the stands were serviced and the papers were in place.

Mr Mhaka is said to have negotiated and offered his Mercedes Benz and US$1 500 as payment for the two stands and Murimwa and Mururi accepted the offer. The alleged offence came to light when Mhaka visited the City of Harare’s Department of Housing and was told that the stands were non-existent.

He reported the matter to police leading to the duo’s arrest.