HARARE, May 29 (NewsDay Live) — The State has withdrawn fraud charges against Zanu PF member Shadreck Mashayamombe and Harare deputy mayor Rosemary Muronda, who were accused of defrauding a property developer of US$100,000 in a failed land deal.
Harare magistrate Jessy Kufa withdrew the matter before plea after the prosecution said there was insufficient evidence to proceed.
Mashayamombe was represented by Devoted Nyagano and Felistas Mwaonandini, while Barnabas Kazembe appeared for Muronda.
Prosecutor Oscar Madhume told the court that the complainant had earlier indicated a desire to withdraw the case.
The complainant, Mavis Java, a farmer and director of Maja Logistics, is currently serving a prison sentence in a separate fraud case.
According to the State’s initial allegations, between April and June 2025, Mashayamombe and Muronda approached Java claiming they could facilitate the allocation and sale of commercial stands in Newlands, at the corner of ED Mnangagwa Road and Churchill Avenue in Harare.
The two allegedly represented that the stands would be allocated through companies linked to them and transferred to Java upon completion of the transaction.
Prosecutors alleged that the companies involved were Aspire Elite Incorporated (Private) Limited, Diexodus Marketing (Private) Limited, Gemdale Investments (Private) Limited and Clean Burn Energy (Private) Limited.
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The State said Java engaged her lawyer, Tawanda Maguwudze of Chasi and Maguwudze Law Firm, to oversee the transaction and ensure transparency in the handling of funds.
On June 27, 2025, Java allegedly met Mashayamombe, Muronda and Danai Mawire at her lawyer’s offices, where the accused demanded US$300,000 each for the allocation of the stands.
It was allegedly agreed that US$50,000 would be paid to each accused as a deposit, with the balance payable after the issuance of lease agreements.
The State alleged that Maguwudze subsequently disbursed US$50,000 to each accused person, who signed acknowledgements of receipt.
However, prosecutors said Java later discovered on Dec. 15, 2025, that the stands had been allocated by the City of Harare to Logara Properties, a company unrelated to her.
The State alleged that the accused sold the stands despite knowing they remained council-owned property and were not theirs to dispose of.
Java’s alleged prejudice was placed at US$100,000.
The charges have now been withdrawn before plea.
