Men swindles SA based citizen of R45 000 in botched house deal

Three men from Bulawayo have allegedly swindled a Zimbabwean man based in South Africa of his R45 000 in a botched house purchasing deal.

The suspected fraud stars Bheka Hlabangane of Khami Prison, Lennox Maphosa and Dearer Moyo of Cowdray Park were not asked to plead top fraud before Bulawayo magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure.

They allegedly swindled Clever Moyo of Nkulumane based in South Africa of R45 000 in a deal where they sold him a house.

The matter will be back in court on September 27.

 Sometime in September 2008, Moyo in South Africa called Hlabangane looking for a house to buy in Zimbabwe. Hlabangane allegedly told him that he was selling house number 15046 in Cowdray Park at R70 000. Moyo sent his young brother Saulos Moyo to view the house.

After two months the house was paid for in full as Hlabangane was receiving money from Moyo. Maphosa later told Saulos that the house was not properly built and as such Moyo would be allocated another house number 15626 Cowdray Park which was a two roomed.

Maphosa later advised Saulos that the house number 15626 was in dispute and Moyo was allocated another house number 15674.

The house was under construction by then and accused number two promised to extend it to a four roomed house and the agreement of sale was crafted to that effect.

Hlabangane and Maphosa failed to extend the house as per promise leading to Moyo reporting the matter to the police. Investigations done revealed that Moyo paid R45 000 to the accused persons. It was further discovered that the house in question was reposed by the Bulawayo City Council from Surprise Mupfure.