Two Harare Real Estate Agents in Court for Defrauding Home Seeker of US$198K
Two Harare men posing as real estate agents appeared in court yesterday, accused of defrauding a home seeker of a staggering US$198K. Michael Makata (47) and Wonder Sande (67) stood before Harare magistrate Mr. Dennis Mangosi, facing charges of fraud.
Deceptive Plot Unveiled
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Fabricated Deeds of Transfer
Makata and Sande allegedly conspired to deceive Mupuri, with Makata proposing that the stand be registered in Sande’s name for the purpose of defrauding the unsuspecting buyer. Subsequently, Makata forged a fraudulent deed of transfer, numbered 5087/2018 and dated 11/09/18, which they presented to Mupuri.
Financial Loss and Cover-Up
As a result of the elaborate ruse, Mupuri made payments totaling US$95,000 in installments toward the purchase of stand number 570 in Pomona, Borrowdale, Harare. The duo would frequently collect cash from Mupuri, attempting to conceal their fraudulent activities.
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To further mask their deceit, Makata and Sande convinced Mupuri to engage their own legal practitioner for conveyancing purposes after paying an additional US$5,600. A fraudulent deed of transfer, numbered 2848/2023, was issued as part of the cover-up.
Detection and Arrest
On January 21, 2024, Mupuri took immediate action, alerting the police after encountering Makata and Sande. This led to the arrest of the duo, but unfortunately, none of the defrauded funds were recovered. Mupuri suffered an actual loss of US$100,600.