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Wimbainashe Zhakata Manicaland Correspondent
A bogus estate agent who was arrested last year for defrauding a couple of $8 000 was last week jailed for an effective three years after conning another couple in a botched low-density residential stand deal.

The couple lost $5 685 to Stewart Mubare (38), who lied that he would secure a low-density residential stand for them in the city.

Mubare appeared before Mutare provincial magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe last week charged with fraud.

He was convicted after a full trial and jailed for four years, with one year being suspended on condition he restitutes the couple.

Prosecutor Mr Cuthbert Bhosha told the court that in August 2016, the complainant, Godfrey Mugabe, together with his wife Hatikanganwi Mugabe approached Shadreck Marange, an employee of the Zimbabwe Housing Company, with an intention of buying a residential stand in a low-density area.

The court heard that Marange offered to introduce the complainant to Mubare, who he identified as the one who was selling some residential stands in Fairbridge Park.

On the same day, Marange reportedly accompanied the complainant to Fairbridge Park, where they met with Mubare at a site that he alleged City of Mutare was going to divide into residential stands measuring 2 000 square metres. He also claimed that he was selling the stands on behalf of the City of Mutare.

It was proved that Mubare further showed the complainant two other residential stands measuring 1 500 square metres at another site, just after Greenside Extension near Beira Corridor.

But the couple opted for the Fairbridge Park stand.

Mubare then asked the couple to pay $300 for them to be shortlisted on Mutare City Council’s housing waiting list.

They later paid $5 685 to Mubare.

The couple only discovered later that they had been duped and reported the matter to the police.