Zanu PF land baron Mabamba slapped with warrant of arrest

By Prosper Dembedza

Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe has issued a warrant of arrest against businessman and former Zanu PF Chitungwiza Ward 25 councillor Fredrick Mabamba for absconding court.

Mabamba (54) is facing fraud charges after he sold State land to an unsuspecting home seeker thereby defrauding him of $26 000. He is out on $200 bail.

Allegations are that sometime in August 2014, Tatenda Melusi approached Mabamba, who was in the business of selling residential stands in the Chitungwiza area, seeking a residential stand.

The court heard that Mabamba advised Melusi that he had a stand in Hatfield measuring 2,000 square metres for sale.

Melusi showed interest and offered his motor vehicle, a Hino bus valued at $26 000, in exchange for the stand.

It is the State’s case that an agreement was entered into between Melusi and Mabamba in which the motor vehicle was surrendered to Mabamba as purchase price.

The court heard that sometime in June 2015, Melusi decided to sell the residential stand to Joseph Dzimano (47) for $15 000 and an agreement between him and Dzimano was crafted at Makanza and Bakasa Legal Practitioners in Avondale.

The agreement was that Dzimano would pay an initial deposit of $8 000 and the remainder in instalments of $2 300 in three months.

The court heard that Dzimano paid the full amount of $15 000 into Makanza and Bakasa trust account.

After paying the full purchase price, he developed the residential stand by erecting a temporary wooden structure.

The court heard that sometime in January 2016, houses in the area were demolished by the Government as it is State land, and no one had been granted permission to develop the area. This prompted Dzimano to make a police report. The Herald