The land baron at the heart of the illegal land sales that led to the famous Belvedere demolitions last year has been released by the court after posting bail of US$300.
Polite Captain appeared before Harare magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai to face three distinct counts of fraud. He was not required to enter a plea during this initial hearing.
The magistrate imposed strict bail conditions, ordering Captain to surrender all his travel documents, reside at his registered address until the legal proceedings are concluded, and report weekly to the Commercial Crimes Division of the CID.
Victims Of The Belvedere Land Baron’s Fraud
The first complainant, as outlined in court documents, is Simbarashe Machisa, a serving member of the Zimbabwe National Army. The prosecution alleges that Captain, while employed as a project manager for Brickstone Builders and Contractors, devised a scheme to deceive potential buyers.
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It is claimed that in November 2022, Captain falsely represented to Chacco Development Holdings Properties that a specific stand in Ridgeview, Belvedere, was registered under his company’s name. He then allegedly tasked the marketing manager for Chacco Development Holdings, Charity Vambe, to sell the stand on his behalf for US$35,000.
The court heard that Machisa made a cash payment of US$2,000 and handed over a Toyota Land Cruiser valued at US$22,000 as part payment for the property. He later supplemented this with a Nissan Cabstar worth US$4,000, bringing his total expenditure to US$28,000. An agreement of sale was drafted and signed by both parties. Machisa subsequently built an eight-roomed cottage on the land, only to see its foundations destroyed by the Harare City Council in 2023 for encroaching on municipal land.
Land Baron At The Centre Of Belvedere Demolitions Granted US$300 Bail On Fraud Charges
The State further contends that Captain employed an identical method to defraud two other individuals. Tafadzwa Learnmore Sithole is said to have paid US$19,450 for a stand, built a cottage, and suffered the same fate when council officials demolished it last November.
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In a similar vein, Tobias Chisumbe allegedly paid US$20,000 for a property and constructed a four-bedroom house, which was also levelled by the council during the same enforcement operation. The prosecution confirmed that nothing was recovered by any of the three alleged victims.
The case has been adjourned for further investigation.
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The post Land Baron At The Centre Of Belvedere Demolitions Granted US$300 Bail On Fraud Charges appeared first on iHarare News.
