mbulelo smpofu
Trish Mukwazo, [email protected]
NOTORIOUS Bulawayo-based housing fraudster Elliot Mharadze has been handed a 10-year jail term for defrauding eight victims of over US$56 445 and R664 000 six years ago.
Appearing before the Bulawayo regional magistrate, Ms Benhilda Chiwundura, Mharadze was found guilty of eight counts of fraud.
He will, however, only serve eight years after the court suspended two years on condition that he does not commit a similar crime within that period.
The magistrate also suspended an additional four years on condition that Mharadze restitutes the money.
The court heard that Mharadze targeted diasporans mainly using similar modus operandi — he would trick his victims into believing that he was a registered land developer and owned houses.
After his victims had made payments for residential stands, he disappeared.
The court heard that Mharadze duped his niece of US$9 700 for a stand and US$2 400 to construct a housing structure to the foundation level.
Another victim, Ms Phepelaphi Dube, paid Mharadze US$10 205 for a two-roomed semi-finished house in Pumula South suburb, Bulawayo, which belonged to someone else.
Upon discovering that someone else was occupying the house, she reported the matter to the police.
Mharadze also duped Ms Mumo Ncube who wanted to buy a two-roomed house in Pelandaba West.
She was instructed to pay ZWL9 300 and R50 000 over 18 months in instalments, but it was not built as agreed.
Ms Tackler Gumbo based in South Africa, became a victim when she approached Mharadze on August 23, 2018, intending to purchase a residential stand. Mharadze’s lawyer, Mr Tinashe Runganga, had initially denied the charges.
However, after the State had presented its evidence with three witnesses, he changed his plea to guilty.
In passing the sentence, Ms Chiwundura noted that Mharadze’s behaviour was deplorable and he had exhibited greediness by defrauding victims.
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