Botched housing stand deal land lawyer in the dock

BULAWAYO lawyer Russel Dzete has been arraigned before the courts after he allegedly facilitated the purchase of a housing stand belonging to another resident.

Dzete denied the fraud charge yesterday when he appeared before magistrate Tinashe Tashaya, who remanded him out of custody to May 2 for commencement of trial.

The court heard that sometime in May last year, the complainant, Obias Bidi, got interested in the stand after it was advertised by Cavan Maibvise aka Sithole, who is still at large.

Bidi called Maibvise on his mobile phone and they arranged for a meeting.

A few days later, Maibvise went to Bidi's office in the company of one Edgar Matungamire, whom he introduced as the owner the stand, which is located in Emganwini suburb.

It is the State's case that on May 9 last year, Maibvise went to Bidi's office and together, they went to Marondedze, Mukuku and Partners Legal Practitioners, where they met Matungamire before being directed to Dzete's office.

Bidi was allegedly shown a memorandum of agreement purportedly signed between the original owner of the stand, Sibusisiwe Ndlovu, and Matungamire.

A new agreement of sale was then drafted by Dzete which was then allegedly signed by Memory Chatukuta, Bidi's girlfriend, being the purchaser and Matungamire as the seller.

Dzete then allegedly instructed Bidi to deposit $4 000 into the law firm's trust account.

On May 11 last year, $4 000 was transferred from Chatukuta's Cabs account into the law firm's Cabs account as per Dzete's instruction.
Bidi then started construction work at the stand.

In October last year, Bidi was allegedly advised that the stand belonged to someone else and was ordered to stop forthwith any developments.

It is alleged that Bidi lost $4 000 in the purchase of the stand and $5 500 being the construction costs for the four rooms he had already built at the site.