Bogus estate agents up for US$198 000 fraud

TWO bogus real estate agents who allegedly defrauded US$198 000 from a home seeker by selling him two stands in Pomona, Borrowdale and offered him fake Deeds of Transfer appeared in court yesterday.
Wonder Sande,67, and Michael Makata,47, both came before Harare magistrate Mr. Dennis Mangosi, accusing each other of fraud. Mr. Rungano Mahuni is the attorney representing Makata.
The State agreed to a US$500 bond, and the case was adjourned to February 27.
Mr. Rufaro Chonzi, the prosecutor, claimed that the two intended to swindle the complainant Amos Mupuri between January and April of 2023.He further said that Makata approached Sande and told him he was selling a residential stand in Pomona, Borrowdale.
Makata told Sande that he could register the residential stand in his name and use that information to trick Mupuri.
The State further claimed that Sande approved of the plan that inspired Makata to create a fake deed of transfer with the name 5087/2018, dated 11/09/18, which they then presented to Mupuri.

As a result of the duo’s misrepresentation Mupuri paid US$95 000 in instalments towards the purchase of stand number 570 Pomona, Borrowdale, Harare.
The court heard that both Makata and Sande would visit Mupuri to collect cash on several occasions. The court heard that as a way of covering up their fraudulent act, the duo persuaded Mupuri to use their own legal practitioner for conveyance purposes after paying US$5 600. A fraudulent deed of transfer number 2848/2023 was issued.
The crime came to light when Mupuri realised that someone was claiming ownership of the residential stand sold to him by Makata.When Mupuri went to confirm the legitimacy of Deed of Transfer number 2848/2023, it was discovered to be fraudulent.
After Mupuri discovered Makata and Sande on January 21, 2024, she informed the authorities, which resulted in their detention. Consequently, Mupuri incurred a real loss of US$100,600 and received no compensation.
On the second count, the two, together with a few others who are still at large, employed the same scheme to defraud Mupuri of US$98 000 between June 2023 and November 2023.
The two falsely claimed to own a home stand at 571 Pomona, Borrowdale, Harare.The two registered the stand under the name of a fugitive accomplice. They proceeded to enable a false Deed of Transfer, bearing number 870/2018, dated November 9, 2018.
The State claimed that Mupuri paid US$84,800 for stand number 571 Pomona Borrowdale in Harare as a result of this deception.
The pair convinced Mupuri to employ their own attorney for conveyance purposes in exchange for US$2,000 in order to hide their fraudulent act. The attorney then issued a deed of transfer with the number 6020/2023.
When Mupuri discovered that someone was claiming ownership of the residential stand, she became aware of the offense.
When Mupuri tried to confirm the legitimacy of Deed of Transfer Number 6020/2023—which also turned out to be fraudulent—he realized he had been tricked.