Two additional suspects have been arrested in connection with a sophisticated land scam that left numerous homebuyers destitute and their newly built houses demolished by the City of Harare. The accused, Lilian Chitanga and Spencer Mabeka, appeared in the Harare Regional Magistrates’ Court before Magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa, where the matter was formally presented.
The pair, who are already facing other pending cases, were granted bail set at US$400 each. Strict conditions were attached to their release, including orders not to interfere with witnesses, to reside at their known addresses, and to report to the CID Commercial Crimes Division every two weeks.
Two More People Arrested Over Illegal Belvedere Stands Scam
The court heard allegations that Chitanga, acting as the director of Brickstone Builders and Contractors (Pvt) Limited, masterminded a plan in April 2022 to defraud desperate home seekers. It is alleged she unlawfully trespassed onto municipal land in the Belvedere area, which was legally registered to the City of Harare.
ALSO READ: Constitutional Court Rules Husbands Can Now Use Wives’ Surnames In Landmark Case
She then proceeded to subdivide the council land into residential stands, ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 square metres. To give the operation a veneer of legitimacy, Chitanga reportedly enlisted a developer to construct roads on the site and, crucially, to act as a sales agent for the illicit plots on behalf of her company.
A Trail of Broken Dreams and Financial Ruin
The developer successfully sold four stands, with all proceeds handed over to Chitanga. She personally drafted the sale agreements, signing as the seller. In a similar manner, a further twelve stands were sold directly by her. Unaware of the fraud, the purchasers, a total of sixteen complainants, invested their life savings in building homes on the plots.
Their dreams were abruptly demolished when the City of Harare moved in, informing them they had built on trespassed council land and razed the structures to the ground. All attempts to contact Chitanga for answers or restitution proved futile.
ALSO READ: Constitutional Court Rules Husbands Can Now Use Wives’ Surnames In Landmark Case
The financial toll is immense. In one count, the complainants lost a combined US$345,000. In a second count, the court heard that Chitanga, now allegedly conspiring with her co-accused, Spencer Mabeka, had deceived another group of complainants into purchasing stands for US$74,000.
Follow Us on Google News for Immediate Updates
The post Two More People Arrested Over Illegal Belvedere Stands Scam appeared first on iHarare News.
