Land baron nabbed

By Zvikomborero Parafini

A suspected bogus land baron was hauled to court yesterday to answer to fraud charges. Bekithemba Sibanda was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa and was represented by James Makiya.

Prosecuting Moses Mapanga told the court that sometime in 2013, Florence Kabanda was looking for a residential stand to buy and goy information that Sibanda was selling residential stands in Marimba Park.

Kabnada proceeded to Marimba Park where she met Sibanda who told her that he was selling 400 square metre residential stands at US$600.

Kabanda was shown stand 763 and paid US$2500 cash deposit for it.

Sibanda issued a receipt and a deed of cession as an agreement of sale and advised Kabanda to pay the deposit within six months.

Kabanda paid the balance in batches and was issued with receipts every time she made a payment and at one point she paid us$613 to Sibanda who said was going to pay land intrinsic value at council.

Sometime in September 2016, Kabanda got information that people who bought residential stands in New Marimba Park were paying land intrinsic value at council and went to Kambuzuma city council offices where she was told she couldn’t pay as the stand had been allocated to three people.

When she notified Sibanda about that, he promised to get her another stand but became evasive since then.

Sibanda was released on $200 bail and will be back in court on April 30. H-Metro