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Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent

A new suspect involved in a US$4,5 million fraud on Saturday appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Estere Chivasa charged with fraud.

Wengai Tsomba was remanded in custody to Wednesday for bail application.

Tsomba joins accomplices Blessing Munemo, lawyer Gerald Saidi, Lovejoy Mujati, Nigel Chimbwanda, Nathan Gowoko, Timothy Gowo, Pabureka Sibanda and Darlington Kwanai who appeared in court two weeks ago and were denied bail.

The State alleged that the group illegally sold land for US$4 million to businessman Andrew Sean Baker, the director of Atticus Investments Private Limited and Big Poppa’s Private Limited. 

The court heard that in 2022, Saidi approached Baker and told him there was a vacant stand in Kuwadzana, Harare going for US$1,7 million. 

It is alleged that between May and October 2022, Baker paid the full amount to the gang through Saidi’s office.

Baker allegedly went on to pay US$51 000 for capital gains tax and about US$65 000 for transfer fees at Saidi’s workplace. The gang allegedly produced fake documents with the signatures of senior Government officials and convinced Baker that the transactions were aboveboard.

In 2024, Baker went to the Kuwadzana stand to fence it, but residents represented by the head of a nearby school stopped him from doing so. 

The residents claimed it was their land. Baker lost US$1 816 000 and nothing was recovered.

In the second count against the gang, the court heard that between May and October 2022, they sold 109 hectares of land situated opposite the Zimbabwe National Defence University in Marlborough, Harare.

Baker paid US$2 million for the land and also paid US$100 000 for capital gains tax and US$78 800 for transfer fees. On July 22, a report of criminal trespassing was filed at Malborough Police Station against Baker and he realised that the sale was a fraud. Baker lost US$ 2 178 000 in the transaction and nothing was recovered.

On another charge, in December 2023, Munemo and his accomplices allegedly asked Baker to donate an ambulance to a charity organisation. 

Acting on the misrepresentation, Baker handed over a new unregistered Toyota Landcruiser ambulance valued at US$100 000 to Saidi.

The gang lied to Baker that the ambulance had been handed over to the charity organisation.

However, the gang took the ambulance to a car sale and sold it for US$60 000 on July 25 this year. 

The matter only came to light when Baker suspected that he had been duped and made a police report. Police recovered the ambulance at the car sale.