Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
Harare City Council employee, Charles Sigauke (51), appeared in court yesterday facing allegations of defrauding a woman of US$126 000 in a fraudulent stand deal.
Sigauke was remanded on US$500 bail by Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa.
It is alleged that on April 27 last year, Sigauke and his accomplice Josphat Chidamoyo, allegedly defrauded the council by falsely claiming he was selling stand number 922, measuring 4 000 square metres in Greystone Park, claiming it was in his own name, having bought it from the council, although he remitted no money for that stand.
According to the State, on May 9 Edelite Muzavazi, visited the stand with Sigauke and liked it, but when she wanted to see the pegs marking the stand, Sigauke claimed that a machine was needed to retrieve them and assured her that this would be done after they signed the agreement of sale.
On May 11 Ms Muzavazi and Sigauke signed an agreement of sale at Mabulala and Dembure Legal Practitioners of Mt. Pleasant, Harare.
The stand was valued at US$150 000, and Ms Muzavazi paid a deposit of US$100 000, having agreed to pay the remainder in instalments over six months.
On June 26 Ms Muzavazi made an additional payment of US$26 000 and attempted to have the ownership of the stand transferred from Sigauke’s name to her own.
However, her efforts were unsuccessful. Despite her inquiries at the City of Harare to facilitate the transfer, she received no assistance.
As her attempts to contact Sigauke became increasingly futile, Ms Muzavazi reported the matter to the police. Investigations revealed that Sigauke had not made any payments to the City of Harare following a letter of offer dated April 13, 2019, which required full payment by July 12, 2019.
The total amount alleged to have been defrauded is US$120 000, and as of now, no funds have been recovered.
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