HARARE – The case in which former Minister of Education, Dr Dzingai Mutumbuka lost his house to suspected fraudsters in Harare involves well organised crime, the Investigating Officer, Detective Constable Tafadzwa Marashe has said.
Marashe who works for the Criminal Investigations Department (Property) told Harare Magistrate Ethel Chichera during his two-and-half hour cross examination that the alleged fraud in which title deeds to Mutumbuka’s Chisipite residence were forged is one of the most sophisticated organized crimes he has seen.
The case is being heard at Rotten Row Magistrates Court.
Marashe said that although Prosper Biziweck and Tatenda Wakatama (who are accused of forging title deeds to the property) were not mentioned in the agreement of sale, they all played their part in prejudicing Mutumbuka of his US$600,000 Chisipite house.
He said Biziweck’s role was to obtain title deeds from the Registrar of deeds’ office and for that he used his alleged girlfriend Lynna Mlambo who works there as a supervisor.
In the syndicate Wakatama’s role is to look for buyers, while Jonah Ngome who is still at large acts as the owner of the house during the sale to potential buyers.
After getting the deed, Ngome digitally manipulated it into his name and Wakatama found the buyer.
The title deeds were filed back after the document was altered with a forged name of Ngome.
Mlambo stated in her warned and cautioned statement that she was involved in the scam but turned hostile in court and said that she did not know all the accused and had never met them.
It is the State case that on June 22, 2021, Mlambo, connived with her boyfriend Prosper Biziweck, Tatenda ‘Shaft’ Wakatama, two others and Ngome to forge Mutumbuka’s title deed 4480/88. They forged the deed into Ngome’s name.
Magistrate Chichera postponed the case to April 12, 2024. – Masvingo Mirror
