News / National
74-year-old jailed over US$85k residential stands scam
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A 74-year-old man from Gweru has been sentenced to 30 months in prison after failing to repay US$85,000 in restitution to River Valley Properties, following his involvement in a land scam dating back to 2017.
The convict, Mugeza Hove of Hertfordshire Farm, appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Tavengwa Sangster, who ordered his incarceration after he defaulted on the restitution agreement set by the court earlier this year.
According to court records, Hove had initially benefited from several residential stands under the government's commonage facility when land formerly owned by his late brother was repossessed for urban development. However, in a bid to profit from the allocation, Hove reportedly engaged Otichmar Investments in 2017 to sell the stands.
During the process, Hove submitted a list that fraudulently included stands legally owned by River Valley Properties. The deception was later uncovered, and Hove was brought before the courts in January 2025.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, with 12 months suspended on condition of good behaviour and the remaining 18 months set aside if he completed 630 hours of community service. However, the full sentence was conditionally suspended on the understanding that Hove would repay River Valley Properties US$85,000 for the misappropriated stands.
The court had given him until February 27, 2025, to settle the restitution, but he failed to make the payment. As a result, a warrant of arrest was issued, and Hove has now been committed to serve the full 30-month custodial sentence.
The case has drawn renewed attention to the handling of urban land allocations and the enforcement of restitution conditions in property fraud cases.
The convict, Mugeza Hove of Hertfordshire Farm, appeared before Zvishavane magistrate Tavengwa Sangster, who ordered his incarceration after he defaulted on the restitution agreement set by the court earlier this year.
According to court records, Hove had initially benefited from several residential stands under the government's commonage facility when land formerly owned by his late brother was repossessed for urban development. However, in a bid to profit from the allocation, Hove reportedly engaged Otichmar Investments in 2017 to sell the stands.
During the process, Hove submitted a list that fraudulently included stands legally owned by River Valley Properties. The deception was later uncovered, and Hove was brought before the courts in January 2025.
He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, with 12 months suspended on condition of good behaviour and the remaining 18 months set aside if he completed 630 hours of community service. However, the full sentence was conditionally suspended on the understanding that Hove would repay River Valley Properties US$85,000 for the misappropriated stands.
The court had given him until February 27, 2025, to settle the restitution, but he failed to make the payment. As a result, a warrant of arrest was issued, and Hove has now been committed to serve the full 30-month custodial sentence.
The case has drawn renewed attention to the handling of urban land allocations and the enforcement of restitution conditions in property fraud cases.
Source - NewsDay
