Woes mount for suspected land baron
Felix Munyaradzi, who was in remand prison for illegally parcelling out land is alleged to have been clandestinely allowed to attend his father-in-law’s funeral in Zvimba, without being granted bail by a court.
The complaint has since been forwarded to the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU) and the Police Anti-Corruption Unit (PACU) for further investigations.
Munyaradzi was arrested last year on allegations of duping people who wanted to buy stands at Sandton near Westgate in Harare before he was later freed on $55 000 bail and other stringent conditions set after spending some days in prison.
However, in new twist of events, a Harare man, Collen Mavhundutse (38) made a report to the police to investigate allegations that Munyaradzi allegedly connived with two Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) officers to allow him to attend the funeral.
According to the report made, after attending the funeral, it is further alleged that Munyaradzi then went to sleep at his house in Borrowdale before returning to prison the following day.
He is also alleged to have slaughtered two beasts for the two officers before giving them about 200 chickens.
The Herald is in possession of a copy of a sworn affidavit made by Mavhundutse to the police on Tuesday.
“I wish to state that I know Felix Munyaradzi for more than 20 years. I also know him as the director of Delatfin Investment (Pvt) Ltd.
“I recall sometime on the 14th of August 2020 when I was in Zvimba, Chirau area, when Felix Munyaradzi lost his father-in-law, I was surprised to see him attending the funeral since I knew he was in custody at Harare Remand Prison.
“He was in the presence of two prison officers dressed in civilian clothes. I believe this is not proper.
“After the burial, Munyaradzi went to sleep to his Borrowdale home and then returned back to prison the following day,” read part of the statement.
“I also established that Felix Munyaradzi slaughtered two beasts for the prison officers and gave them 200 slaughtered chickens which were destined for Harare Remand Prison.
“I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing all above facts as correct.”
Circumstances leading to Munyaradzi’s arrest are that during 2015, his firm Delatfin Investments, entered into a swap deal with Mr Delish Nguwaya for the sale of stands in exchange for a Toyota Prado.
Delatfin Investments sold three residential stands – 1572, 1516 and 1471 – in Sandton Park in Mt Hampden, worth US$50 000 and Mr Nguwaya surrendered the Prado and an agreement of sale was signed on February 2, 2018.
It is alleged that Munyaradzi went on to sell the stands to other people, and when Mr Nguwaya complained, he agreed to compensate him with eight smaller stands in Sandton Park.
But then Munyaradzi allegedly went on to sell one of the stands to Tawanda Mashumba for US$30 000.
It is the State’s case that Mr Nguwaya was aware that the stand in question had already been sold, and he lost US$15 000 in the process.
On April 20, 2015, Delatfin Investments was offered 120 hectares of State land by the Ministry of Local Government to develop residential stands. The land was previously used by the police for breeding horses.
In 2016, Munyaradzi through his firm, allegedly sold a stand fraudulently to Mrs Gabaza for US$18 000, a stand in Sandton Phase 3 to Mr Dondo for US$22 000, and another stand in the same neighbourhood to Mr Makodza for US$40 000.
Mr Makodza is said to have later discovered his stand had allegedly been sold for a second time to Mrs Nyongo by Munyaradzi, forcing him to lodge a complaint with the police. The Herald.
