News / National
Former MDC-T MP convicted of a $95 000 swindle
20 Feb 2014 at 08:21hrs | Views
Former MDC-T Buhera South MP Tangwara Matimba was yesterday convicted of theft of trust property after swindling a United States-based couple of $95 000 by selling their house and pocketing the proceeds.
Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya ordered Matimba (46) to pay $10 000 bail and remanded him to tomorrow for sentence.
Mujaya castigated Matimba for giving a false defence when it was apparent he had sold the house and swindled Liberty Madzingira of his cash through his firm, Property Hopes Real Estate.
In aggravation, prosecutor Michael Reza urged the court to consider a custodial sentence for the former legislator arguing his moral blameworthiness was very high.
"The accused's moral blameworthiness is very high and he brought disrepute to the profession of the estate agents. He is not only a former MP, but a businessman as well, meaning he stole out of greed and not out of need," Reza said.
In mitigation, Matimba, however attempted to mislead the court by telling the magistrate that the complainant, Madzingira, was against the idea of him being sent to jail. But when called to corroborate the claims, Madzingira dismissed the MP's assertions as false and urged the court to imprison him instead.
The court heard that sometime in 2011, the former MP was contacted by Madzingira, who wanted to sell his house through an estate agent.
Pursuant to the agreement between the two parties, Matimba received payments on several occasions but instead of remitting the cash to Madzingira, he converted it to his own use, leading to his arrest and prosecution.
Harare regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya ordered Matimba (46) to pay $10 000 bail and remanded him to tomorrow for sentence.
Mujaya castigated Matimba for giving a false defence when it was apparent he had sold the house and swindled Liberty Madzingira of his cash through his firm, Property Hopes Real Estate.
In aggravation, prosecutor Michael Reza urged the court to consider a custodial sentence for the former legislator arguing his moral blameworthiness was very high.
In mitigation, Matimba, however attempted to mislead the court by telling the magistrate that the complainant, Madzingira, was against the idea of him being sent to jail. But when called to corroborate the claims, Madzingira dismissed the MP's assertions as false and urged the court to imprison him instead.
The court heard that sometime in 2011, the former MP was contacted by Madzingira, who wanted to sell his house through an estate agent.
Pursuant to the agreement between the two parties, Matimba received payments on several occasions but instead of remitting the cash to Madzingira, he converted it to his own use, leading to his arrest and prosecution.
Source - newsday
