Grace’s sister further remanded

Source: Grace’s sister further remanded – NewsDay Zimbabwe October 24, 2018

Former First Lady Grace Mugabe’s elder sister, Shuvai Junior Gumbochuma, who is facing three counts of fraudulently acquiring a vast piece of State land worth more than $2 million, was yesterday further remanded to November 22 pending finalisation of the investigations.

BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE

Gumbochuma (61) who is represented by Lovemore Madhuku appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa.
Allegations are that sometime in August 2014, stand number 139 and 140 Gullingham Estate, Dzivarasekwa, Harare, was available for sale to deserving and capable land developers who could develop the land into high-density residential stands.

It is alleged that Gumbochuma, in a bid to acquire the land, misrepresented to government that she had the capacity to develop high-density residential stands.

The State alleges on March 27, 2015, Gumbochuma was offered stand number 140 Gullingham as evidenced by the offer letter that originated from the Local Government ministry. She was then required to pay an intrinsic land value of $424 426 to the ministry.

It is alleged Gumbochuma, who had neither the capacity to pay the intrinsic land value nor to develop the land then created and registered a company, Scanlen (Pvt) Ltd as a vehicle to further her fraudulent transaction.

Gumbochuma allegedly resold the land for $2 060 000 without paying for the land. N-Frasys bought the land and then paid the intrinsic land value to the Local Government ministry before paying the balance to Gumbochuma.

It is alleged the conduct of Gumbochuma was prejudicial to the good administration of the ministry as she profiteered from State land, thereby distorting the market value of the land from a mere $424 426 to an inflated value of $2 060 000.

In February 2016, Gumbochuma, a former director of Rodonior and Bojunior Investments allegedly was allocated 150 hectares of land in Goodhope by the Local Government ministry.

Investigations were made with the Registrar of Deeds of Companies and confirmed that Rodonior was not registered.

The State alleges due to Gumbochuma’s actions, the ministry suffered prejudice to its good administration.

Sometime in August 2016, Gumbochuma again misrepresented facts that Rodonior was a registered company and she made an application for allocation of Chishawasha B Goromonzi and was allocated 20 hectares.