RISING Mutare-based sungura musician Brian Runganga
allegedly lost US$95 000 to a lawyer and an accomplice who fraudulently sold
him a property in Morningside low-density suburb which belonged to another
person.
Runganga, who is popularly known as Brian Samaita in the
music industry, only realised that he had been sold a dummy when he saw an
advert in the local Press that stated that the house which he had purchased had
been attached and was now being sold by the Deputy Sherriff.
The matter was reported to the police and a fraud case has
since been opened against the Harare-based lawyer, Shepherd Makonyere, and
Secline Nyamudeza at Mutare Central Police Station.
The case, which came to court on Monday as a summons matter
at the Mutare Magistrates’ Courts, did not go for trial and was postponed to
January 20 next year.
In his statement to the police, Runganga said he got to
know about the house, No. 7061 Wentwood Drive, Morningside, after he talked to
an estate agent, Wellington Musevenzi of Menger Properties.
“Sometime in 2017, I wanted to buy a residential property
and I talked to Musevenzi who told me that there was a divorced couple in
Morningside who were selling their house. He further told me that I was
supposed to communicate with Shepherd Makonyere, a lawyer based in Harare who
was handling the divorce case between the owners of the house,” he said.
“I then drove to Harare in the company of Musevezi to meet
Makonyere at his offices. Upon our arrival in Harare we met the accused person
at his office and we entered into an agreement with him. He told us that he had
the power of attorney over the property. We entered into an agreement and we
negotiated to the value of US$90 000. We then agreed on a payment plan in which
I was supposed to pay US$60 000 upon signing of the agreement of sale.”
Runganga said he then instructed Taurai Lawrence Chitsinde
to deposit US$55 500 into a ZB account number 4112156151080 under S. Makonyere
Legal Practitioners Trust as instructed by the accused person.
Runganga said he further deposited US$4 500 into
Musevenzi’s CBZ account as per instruction l by Makonyere.
“After I deposited the whole amount, the accused then
drafted an agreement of sale and stated a payment plan of the balance of US$30
000. I drove back to Mutare. Accused later sent the agreement of sale through
an e-mail to Menger Properties to the attention of Musevenzi who then called me
together with one of the registered owners of the house, Secline Nyamudeza, and
we all signed the agreement of sale.”
Runganga said he then laboured to look for the balance of
US$30 000 which he paid by November 20, 2018.
“I then demanded the title deeds of my house since I had
finished payment but I was told by the accused that the title deeds were
withheld by Zesa as the owners of the house owed Zesa US$30 0000. He further
told me that he was going to effect the payment to Zesa and obtain the title
deeds. It took a long time. Accused gave me excuses till I saw an advert in The
Sunday Mail that the house which I had fully purchased was being sold by the
Deputy Sheriff. I then proceeded to Zesa to inquire and was informed that the
house belonged to Alfred Zivanai Mukarakate and that all the people I was
dealing with were not the owners of the house and that Mukarakate owed Zesa and
that is why the house was being sold,” said Runganga.
Makonyere is being represented by Mr Chris Ndlovu of Gonese
and Ndlovu Legal Practitioners while Nyamudeza is represented by Mr Cosmas
Chibaya. Manica Post
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