First Minister Of Education Dr. Mutumbuka Reclaims Chisipite House After Losing It To Fraudsters

First Minister Of Education Dr. Mutumbuka Reclaims Chisipite House After Losing It To Fraudsters

After nearly three years of legal wrangling, Dr. Dzingai Mutumbuka, Zimbabwe’s first Minister of Education, has successfully regained ownership of his Chisipite house. The High Court has ruled in his favour, putting an end to a convoluted property dispute that involved fraudulent title deeds and multiple parties.

Justice Nyaradzo Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa delivered the decisive ruling, affirming Dr. Mutumbuka as the legitimate owner of the house located at 90 Harare Drive, Colney Valley, Chisipite. The judgment mandates the current occupants, Demetria Zirenga and Harrison Marange, to vacate the premises within 15 days. Failure to comply will result in their eviction by the Sheriff.

Fraudulent Scheme Uncovered

The dispute originated from a fraudulent scheme involving a stolen title deed. Lynna Mlambo, a supervisor at the Deeds Office, was accused of stealing the deed and handing it over to her boyfriend, Tatenda “Shaft” Wakatama. Wakatama allegedly forged the document, inserting his name before returning it to the Deeds Office.

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Dr. Mutumbuka
Dr. Mutumbuka regains ownership of his house-Image Source@X

Using the fake deed, Jonah Ngome purportedly sold the property to Zirenga and Marange for an undervalued price of $92,000, of which only $45,000 was paid upfront. Justice Munangati-Manongwa ruled that Ngome’s title deed was “fake, fraudulent, invalid, and of no force and effect.” Additionally, the Deeds Office was ordered to remove any record associating Ngome with the property.

Criticism of Legal Representation

The judge criticized the legal representatives of Zirenga and Marange, specifically Hope Ndanaka Tirivavi and Advocate Method Ndlovu, for pursuing a case that lacked merit. Their application was dismissed, and they were ordered to pay costs to Dr. Mutumbuka, represented by Advocate Edley Mubayiwa.

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Justice Munangati-Manongwa highlighted glaring flaws in Ngome’s forged title deed, noting the absence of critical elements such as an official stamp, dates, and mortgage records. Furthermore, she questioned Ngome’s complete absence from court proceedings, stating:

“Ngome, who claims to be the owner of the house through a title deed, has never been anywhere close to the courts to defend his property. His silence is an acceptance of the fraud associated with his deed.”

Previous Ruling Overturned

This ruling overturns a controversial decision by Justice Webster Nicholas Chinamora, who had awarded possession of the property to Zirenga and Marange in September 2023. Justice Chinamora has since resigned amid allegations of misconduct.

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