Man up for masquerading as housing cooperative chair

By Shamiso Dzingire

A Dzivarasekwa man masqueraded as a Nehanda Housing Cooperative chairperson before fleecing home seekers of $7 000 by selling them stands in dispute, a Harare court heard yesterday.

Simba Moyo allegedly sold the stands without the knowledge of the cooperative and never remitted the money.

Moyo appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa facing one count of fraud.

Mugwagwa remanded Moyo out of custody to November 27, on free bail.

It is the State’s case that on a date unknown date but between June 2016 and February 2018, Moyo misrepresented to Tendai Teveraishe and Phyllis Chikukwa that he was the Nehanda Housing Cooperative chairperson and purported to be selling stands.

Moyo allegedly issued Teveraishe and Chikukwa with stamped offer letters.

However, the court heard that the registrar of cooperatives issued a letter banning the sale of the stands after considering section 115 of the Cooperative Societies Act.

The section states that if any dispute concerning the business of a registered society arises between and within registered societies as well as members of societies, the registrar may settle the dispute himself; refer the dispute for settlement to an arbitrator or arbitrators appointed by him; or refer the dispute to the minister for decision.

It is the State’s case that by selling the disputed stands and not remitting the money to the cooperative, Moyo acted unlawfully.

Meanwhile, the secretary general of the cooperative, Andrew Marauka, has circulated a notice urging those who were illegally sold stands by Moyo to come forward and regularise their purchases with the cooperative’s legal department within 10 days.

“Following the letter from the Registrar of Co-operatives dated October, 2018, in which he made it clear that he did not empower Moyo to have counter control of the affairs, finances and operations of Nehanda Housing Co-operative, we notify you that the sale or allocation of State land is illegal.

“Nehanda Housing Co-operative Society management has resolved to engage all those who were illegally allocated or sold State land by Simba Moyo and his committee who were masquerading as the management committee of Nehanda Housing Co-operative Society, to come forward for the regularisation exercise …”, the circular reads. DailyNews