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Crime Reporter 

The trial of a fake land developer Joseph Murimwa (35), arrested early this year on allegations of defrauding a city businessman of five vehicles worth over US$86 000 in exchange for five residential stands in Harare, has been set for January 26 next year.

Murimwa of 2279 TenCraft in Dzivaresekwa, Harare, and unemployed, was arrested in January this year by detectives from the Commercial Crimes Division following a report made by businessman Mr Blessing Matimura (38). He allegedly swapped five stands for luxury cars, although the stands were owned by Harare City Council, not by the two entities Murimwa claimed to be representing and Mr Matimura only found this out when he tried to develop the stands.

Yesterday he appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi who set January 26 next year as his trial date.

According to the State, in 2018 Murimwa approached Mr Matimura claiming to be a land developer and director of a company called Thousand Contractors. He allegedly told Mr Matimura that he was ready to build on the stands he had from his land developing business although the stands were still in the names of two land owners. 

Mr Matimura was interested in the stands and offered to pay for them using motor vehicles since he was in the business of buying and selling cars. 

It is alleged that on February 1, 2019, Murimwa brought an already signed agreement of sale for two stands and said they had been signed by Millivic Housing Trust which he claimed to own and gave them to Mr Matimura, who then signed as the purchaser. 

Mr Matimura then gave Murimwa a Jeep Cherokee, a Toyota Runx and US$2 000 cash as payment for the stands.

It is further alleged that on February 25, 2019, Murimwa brought another already signed agreement of sale for three stands said to have been signed by Bradha Engineering, represented by Bright Ncube, and Mr Matimura signed as the purchaser and handed over a Range Rover (ADY 4419), a Toyota Prado (ACS 8546) and an Isuzu KB250 as payment for the stands.

After paying the full purchase price as agreed, Mr Matimura then wanted to develop the stands.

According to the State, Murimwa asked Mr Matimura not to make further developments, saying the stands were involved in litigation at the High Court.

Mr Matimura made further inquiries and found out that the stands belonged neither to Murimwa, Bradha Engineering nor Millivic Housing Trust, but to the Harare City Council.

Mr Matimura tried to engage Murimwa over the issue but found he was evasive and was no longer reachable, prompting Mr Matimura to make a police report.

Mr Matimura was allegedly prejudiced of US$86 000 and nothing was recovered.