HARARE – A lawyer and the director of the Zimbabwe Legal Aid Society, Amos Jumbe, has been arraigned before a Harare magistrate on charges of defrauding home seekers.
Jumbe has since been released on $100 bail and has been asked to report to CID Fraud Squad once a week.
The state, led by Tungamirayi Chakurira, alleges that the Zimbabwe Legal Aid Society boss used his company to defraud home seekers by placing adverts in newspapers selling houses and stands allegedly owned by other people.
It is further alleged that in 2007, a home seeker responded to an advert of a stand in Mount Pleasant through an estate agency and was advised that Jumbe was selling the stand and an agreement of sale was signed between the parties.
The complainant then deposited ZW$200 million into the Zimbabwe Legal Aid Society bank account. 
The scam was discovered after the accused failed to process the change of ownership and a report was made leading to his arrest.
It is also understood that Jumbe connived with two others who are still at large and defrauded another home seeker using the same method.
The complainant lost ZW$550 million and nothing was recovered. – Talent Bhachi
Police bust cattle rustlers
CHIPINGE – Police here busted a cattle rustling syndicate in a cross border raid and recovered 14 of the 26 stolen beasts in Mozambique.
The cattle were stolen from Chibuwe area and villagers reported the matter to police. Police detectives received a tip off that a notorious cattle syndicate was operating in Mozambique in Chimoio and Manica. Armed with the information, police details raided a farm in Mozambique and recovered the 14 cattle.
They managed to arrest a Zimbabwean identified as John Dhasai Mbewe while his accomplices, who are Mozambican nationals, fled the scene.
Manicaland Provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Enock Chishiri, confirmed the incident and said the police had since launched a manhunt for other suspects who are believed to be part of syndicate.
He said farmers should brand their cattle to avoid theft and easy identification when they are recovered. – Marcus Tawona
Land scam DA suspended
MVUMA – The district administrator for Mvuma, Michael Mariga, is embroiled in a land scam and has been suspended pending investigations into the matter.
A victim who identified himself as Tapiwa Mushipe said he had paid about $1000 to the embattled administrator on the promise of land.
“I needed more grazing land for my cattle and wanted another farm,” said another victim who identified himself as Rodrick Pedzisai. A third victim, Meriline Tshuma, said she was surprised to note that the papers she had been given were unknown to the lands ministry.
The Zimbabwean can reveal that evidence has been put forward showing how Mariga corruptly parceled out land and converted all proceeds to his personal use. A close source said the administrator entered into a coalition with a colleague identified as Richard Marambinde of number K45, Musingabvudzi Township, Mvuma.
The two then used an agent identified as Trust Chesa to collect money on their behalf from people they had illegally allocated land. Resettlement forms issued to home seekers have since been recovered and are understood to form the basis of the investigation.
Provincial Administrator Cecilia Chitiyo confirmed the development but could not give any more details. When contacted, Mariga refused to give this paper an interview. – Brenna Matendere
Corruption: Chief Exec suspended
VUNGU – The local government ministry has suspended Vungu Chief Executive officer Wellington Ngulube over allegations of corruption at the rural district council.
The suspension follows an investigation which was carried out between July 30 and August 30 led by Mashonaland West provincial administrator Christopher Shumba.
According to Shumba’s letter of appointment as chairperson of the probe team, which is in possession of The Zimbabwean, investigations centered on the abuse of public funds.
The investigation team was also tasked to examine tender procedures, the council’s recruitment policy and adherence to policy guidelines. Other areas investigated included the examining of loans to council officials and corporate governance issues.
Deputy Local government minister Sessil Zvidzai said Ngulube’s suspension was recommended by the probe team which visited the council.
“I am not in office so I do not have the papers detailing Ngulube’s suspension but what can be said is that the team that probed the council found out that he was championing corruption,” said Zvidzai. It is the first time in years that the Vungu RDC has had an official found guilty of corruption-related charges.
Early this year residents in the council’s area of jurisdiction accused the local authority of collecting a development levy from farmers but failing to deliver quality service. – Brenna Matendere
38 years for murder
Gweru – A high court judge has sentenced a pair of Redcliff men to a combined 36-year imprisonment term, after they brutally murdered a colleague.
Justice Nicholas Ndou found Shepherd Moyo (28) and Prosper Sikhosana (36) guilty of murder with constructive intent and emphasized that a lengthy imprisonment term would fit in the circumstances. Each of the two will serve 19 years.
Prosecutor Tafadzwa Mupariwa told the court that on March 4, 2010, the two met the deceased, Matthew Maja, who was 37 at the time of his death at Matikana night club, in Redcliff. Sikhosana asked him to buy him some beer.
The deceased gave him $2 which he used to buy two pints of beer.
Later Moyo joined the two and the three drank until one o’clock in the morning. They then left the club and started walking home. When they were near the deceased’s home, an argument ensued with Moyo insisting that the deceased should pay him money he was owed. The duo grabbed the deceased and started assaulting him before stabbing him with a knife on the thigh.
Shortly afterwards, the deceased’s wife, Thokozile Rizibe, heard her husband crying for help. She went with neighbours and found him lying unconscious on the ground.
The deceased was ferried to the police station where a report was made and then to Kwekwe General Hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival.
A post mortem report revealed he died from head injuries and excessive bleeding. Investigations by police into the case revealed that he had been robbed of all the money he had and other valuables. – Brenna Matendere
MDC-T legislators appeal to High Court
Kwekwe – Gokwe-Kabuyuni and Zhombe MDC-T legislators, Costin Muguti and Rodgers Tazviona, who were convicted for threatening a chief, have taken their case to the High Court.
The two were found guilty by a local magistrate of threatening to assault Chief Samambwa two weeks ago. As a sentence, they were both fined $80 or 10 days imprisonment.
However, their lawyer Reginald Chidawanyika told The Zimbabwean that there was misdirection in the judgement.
“We have tabled our appeal before the High Court because we believe no crime was committed by my clients,” said Chidawanyika.
He added that their basis for appeal was that no evidence had been tendered to prove that the legislators had threatened the chief. “How do you convict someone when there was no evidence in the case?” he asked.
Muguti, who is also the MDC-T Midlands North chairperson, is facing another charge of culpable homicide after he allegedly ran over a Gokwe man with his official vehicle.
In a statement, the MDC-T condemned the conviction of the two legislators, saying it was politically motivated. – Brenna Matendere
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