News / National
Grace Mugabe's name used to fleece land-seekers
02 Dec 2018 at 10:46hrs | Views
A BOGUS government spy used former First Lady Grace Mugabe's name to fleece people looking for land, a Harare court heard recently.
Ngonidzashe Chiweshe was hauled before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa charged with fraud.
He was remanded in custody to December 11 pending trial.
Prosecutors cited five complainants in the case.
"During the period extending from August 2017 to august 2018 the accused unlawfully and with intent to defraud the complainants misrepresented to them that he was employed by the CIO as an operative deployed at Grace Mugabe's farm in Mazowe," said prosecutor Sebastin Mutizirwa.
Court heard that Chiweshe told the complainants that he could help them benefit from an empowerment programme being carried out by the former first lady.
The complainants were told that they would get pieces of land at Mrs Mugabe's farm if they paid the required fees.
The money was reportedly for clearing the land, carrying out cleansing rituals, and preparing offer letters, among other things.
According to the prosecution, Chiweshe did this knowing that the former first lady was not offering any plots at her farm.
After nothing materialised, the complainants latter confronted Chiweshe who became evasive.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to his arrest.
Ngonidzashe Chiweshe was hauled before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa charged with fraud.
He was remanded in custody to December 11 pending trial.
Prosecutors cited five complainants in the case.
"During the period extending from August 2017 to august 2018 the accused unlawfully and with intent to defraud the complainants misrepresented to them that he was employed by the CIO as an operative deployed at Grace Mugabe's farm in Mazowe," said prosecutor Sebastin Mutizirwa.
Court heard that Chiweshe told the complainants that he could help them benefit from an empowerment programme being carried out by the former first lady.
The complainants were told that they would get pieces of land at Mrs Mugabe's farm if they paid the required fees.
The money was reportedly for clearing the land, carrying out cleansing rituals, and preparing offer letters, among other things.
According to the prosecution, Chiweshe did this knowing that the former first lady was not offering any plots at her farm.
After nothing materialised, the complainants latter confronted Chiweshe who became evasive.
The matter was reported to the police, leading to his arrest.
Source - newzimbabwe
