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Villager jailed for selling communal land
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A 51‑year‑old man from Nyadongo Village under Chief Zimunya has been jailed for six months after defrauding two women of US$1,150 in a fake communal land sale.
Stephen Shamu appeared before Mutare magistrate Honest Musiyiwa on 25 February 2026 facing two counts of fraud under Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. He pleaded guilty to both charges.
The court heard that between August and November 2025, Shamu misrepresented to the complainants, Nokuthula Nleya and Bridget Batsirai Chiwandika, that he had lawful authority to sell land in Dora Village, Mutare. He collected US$525 from Nleya and US$625 from Chiwandika, promising them ownership rights, village registration and fencing.
To authenticate the fraudulent deal, Shamu allegedly drafted false affidavits in November 2025, impersonating the supposed landowner, Douglas Bhunu, by inserting Bhunu’s details while signing and appending his own fingerprint.
The scam was exposed when the complainants attempted to develop the land and were stopped by the village head, Bvirindi, who informed them that the land did not belong to Shamu or Bhunu but had been reserved for his sister.
The matter was reported to the Zimbabwe Anti‑Corruption Commission (ZACC), leading to Shamu’s arrest on 23 February 2026.
Magistrate Musiyiwa sentenced Shamu to 12 months in prison, with six months suspended on condition that he reimburses the full US$1,150 to the complainants by 10 March 2026.
Stephen Shamu appeared before Mutare magistrate Honest Musiyiwa on 25 February 2026 facing two counts of fraud under Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. He pleaded guilty to both charges.
The court heard that between August and November 2025, Shamu misrepresented to the complainants, Nokuthula Nleya and Bridget Batsirai Chiwandika, that he had lawful authority to sell land in Dora Village, Mutare. He collected US$525 from Nleya and US$625 from Chiwandika, promising them ownership rights, village registration and fencing.
To authenticate the fraudulent deal, Shamu allegedly drafted false affidavits in November 2025, impersonating the supposed landowner, Douglas Bhunu, by inserting Bhunu’s details while signing and appending his own fingerprint.
The scam was exposed when the complainants attempted to develop the land and were stopped by the village head, Bvirindi, who informed them that the land did not belong to Shamu or Bhunu but had been reserved for his sister.
The matter was reported to the Zimbabwe Anti‑Corruption Commission (ZACC), leading to Shamu’s arrest on 23 February 2026.
Magistrate Musiyiwa sentenced Shamu to 12 months in prison, with six months suspended on condition that he reimburses the full US$1,150 to the complainants by 10 March 2026.
Source - Byo24news
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