Harare lawyer jailed for trust property theft

Harare lawyer Concellia Maheya has been sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of theft of trust property involving a fraudulent land sale.

Presiding magistrate Lisa Mutendereki ruled that the offence was committed under aggravating circumstances. Of the three-year sentence, two years were suspended—one on condition of good behaviour for five years, and another on condition that Maheya restitutes US$10,000 to the complainant, Mercy Kabvara, by June 19, 2026. This leaves one year as an effective custodial sentence.

The court heard that in October 2021, Kabvara sought to purchase a residential stand in Bluffhill, Harare, after being referred by estate agent Templeton P. Chadyiwa. Maheya, who claimed to represent the owner, facilitated the transaction and allegedly presented a forged title deed for the property.

Kabvara paid US$30,000 for the stand and an additional US$500 for conveyancing fees, with the funds entrusted to Maheya pending transfer of ownership. However, when Kabvara later attempted to collect the title deeds, Maheya became evasive.

Investigations at the Deeds Office confirmed that the title deed was forged and that the property had already been legitimately sold in 2018 to another buyer.

Efforts to resolve the matter failed, including an attempted compensation arrangement involving a Hatfield property, which could not proceed due to lack of legal authority. In February 2023, Maheya signed an acknowledgement of debt, admitting she owed Kabvara US$30,000.

The State, represented by Takudzwa Jambawo, established that Kabvara suffered a total prejudice of US$30,500 as a result of the fraud.