A 45-YEAR-OLD Harare man was last week jailed nine years for swindling a prospective home owner of $90 000 in a botched stand deal.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
The convict, Innocent Dinki Shana Munyani of Glen View 3 will serve an effective four years in jail after regional magistrate Hosiah Mujaya suspended two years on condition of good behaviour and another three on condition he restitutes Wilbert Tichaona Manyika of $90 000.
The court heard that on June 22 last year, Munyani advertised, in a local newspaper, that he was selling a property in Borrowdale Brooke for $365 000, and Manyika expressed interest in it.
Munyani and Manyika linked up and agreed to reduce the selling price to $260 000 after viewing the property.
The court further heard the two men then agreed for payment of an initial deposit of $100 000 and that a balance of $160 000 would be paid in four equal instalments.
Manyika is said to have approached his lawyer, Tendai Ndoro and instructed him to do a deeds search.
Manyika then drafted an agreement of sale with Ndoro’s help and on July 3 last year, he paid $35 000 to Munyani.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
The parties then signed an agreement of sale and Munyani’s accomplice, Peter Tsuro, signed as a witness.
The court heard, on the next day, Manyika made a transfer of $54 640 to Munyani’s lawyer, James Mutsauki, who handed the money to the seller.
However, Manyika become suspicious when he received the property documents in the name of Alexio Dzidzwa, said to be based in Botswana.
Ndoro then contacted Dzidzwa and was told the property was not for sale and the matter was reported to police, leading to Munyani’s arrest.
