BUSINESSMAN-CUM-MUSICIAN Energy Mutodi, who was arrested on Thursday for allegedly cheating people in a land deal, has blamed what he described as bogus land owners some of whom he said were freedom fighters, for duping him in the land wrangle he is involved in.
Report by Kupakwashe Makonye
Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Mutodi said land constraints had militated against his ZimTrust housing cooperative in fulfilling his aim to provide housing services to his clients.
“It is important that I mention the fact that ZimTrust has been duped by some land owners, especially cooperatives led by former freedom fighters. The organisation has been robbed in excess of $1 million by bogus land owners who collected deposits from us only to change goalposts after receiving the money,” he said.
Mutodi was arrested while coming from the Civil Court where he had a pending maintenance case on Thursday. He was spotted by a policewoman, a homeseeker he allegedly swindled and was immeditely taken to Harare Central Police Station.
Police spokesperson Superintendent Paul Nyathi said investigations were in progress. He said the arrest was in connection with an alleged fraud case which was not revealed to NewsDay.
“The Criminal Investigations Department is still carrying out investigations, but the matter is linked to an alleged fraud case,” said Nyathi.
Mutodi said that he had approached several local authorities and other responsible authorities with a begging bowl for land but his efforts were futile.
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“There are certain ills relating to our human capital management that clients have raised and I would like to promise our members that human resources shake up is imminent at ZimTrust. Reports of clients being misinformed or ill- treated are worrisome although the solution is far-fetched,” said Mutodi.
