Bright Murandamaoko was initially jailed for two years when
he appeared before magistrate Mrs Judith Taruvinga charged with fraud. Six
months were suspended on the usual conditions, another eight months were
suspended on condition he pays back the US$700 he stole from Rudolf Jingo and
the final 10 months can be suspended once he does his 360 hours of community
service satisfactorily.
Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti said sometime proved that
in June this year Mr Jingo was introduced to Murandamaoko by Mr Ernest
Muchenya, his neighbour. Murandamaoko then lied to Mr Jingo that he was an
official from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural
Resettlement and was able to arrange the allocation of land for Mr Jongo’s
younger brother, Epthon, for a fee.
Jingo then applied for the 25 hectare farm in the name of
his younger brother. Murandamaoko then demanded US$2 000, of which three instalments
were paid before Murandamaoko faked the required document with a forged
Government letterhead.
He then forged Minister Masuku’s signature, handed over the
letter to Mr Jingo and demanded the balance of US$500.
Mr Jingo became suspicious and approached the National Land
Inspectorate offices for verification on August 18.
He then discovered that it was a fake offer letter and a
trap was set for Murandamaoko who was arrested by officers from the National
Land Inspectorate after receiving the marked US$500.
Murandamaoko then helped the officers recover five fake
date stamps, one each for Mashonaland East, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland
West provinces and two for the Lands Ministry. Herald
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