BY Garikai Mafirakureva
A CHIREDZI former farmer, Tony Renato Sarpo, has been summoned to court for allegedly selling trust property.
He was served with the summons while waiting to appear before magistrate Geraldine Mutsoto, in another case in which he is accused of stealing 40 wheelbarrows belonging to Matabeleland Engineering.
According to the summons, Sarpo will appear in court on March 11 charged with selling a house belonging to Hotham Enterprises, a sister company to Matabeleland Engineering.
Hotham Enterprises had bought the house from La Lucie, but later Sarpo allegedly sold the house after masquerading as the owner.
He is jointly charged with Steve Schwarer who allegedly facilitated the sale of the house at number 546 Kigelia Road in Chiredzi, to retired army captain Faster Gono, who bought the property on behalf of Hippo Valley Productive Sugarcane Farmers Association.
Gono’s statement to the police that was gleaned by Southern Eye said on Auguest 31, 2015, a colleague told him that Sarpo was selling the property for US$70 000.
“I then phoned Tony to discount the price. He told me that someone had already paid for the house and if I were to delay and he promised that if I offered $68 000, he would accept it,” the statement read.
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“I withdrew the money and went to pay it to Steve Schwarer. On arrival at Steve’s office he was not there and I phoned him but he said he will not deal with anyone besides Steve, but with trust I left $68 000 to Steve’s secretary, Mrs Mostert. The following day Steve called me to collect all the documents and receipts and when I got there I was given everything for the house from Steve.”
Sarpo is currently being investigated by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission on allegations of bribing police officers at Morris Depot, where he was supposed to perform community service over another matter.
