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Charges dropped against Mashayamombe, Harare deputy mayor
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THE State has withdrawn fraud charges against Zanu-PF member Shadreck Mashayamombe and Harare deputy mayor Rosemary Muronda, who were accused of defrauding a property developer of US$100 000 in a failed land deal.
Harare magistrate Jessy Kufa formally withdrew the matter before plea after the prosecution indicated that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case.
Mashayamombe was represented by Devoted Nyagano and Felistas Mwaonandini, while Barnabas Kazembe appeared for Muronda during the proceedings.
Prosecutor Oscar Madhume told the court that the complainant had previously expressed a desire to withdraw the matter, contributing to the decision to discontinue the prosecution.
The complainant, Mavis Java, a farmer and director of Maja Logistics, is currently serving a prison sentence in a separate fraud matter.
According to the State's initial allegations, between April and June 2025, Mashayamombe and Muronda allegedly approached Java claiming they could facilitate the allocation and sale of commercial stands in Newlands, located at the corner of ED Mnangagwa Road and Churchill Avenue in Harare.
It was alleged that the stands would be allocated through companies linked to the accused and later transferred to Java upon completion of the transaction.
The companies cited in the matter included Aspire Elite Incorporated (Private) Limited, Diexodus Marketing (Private) Limited, Gemdale Investments (Private) Limited and Clean Burn Energy (Private) Limited.
The State further alleged that Java engaged her lawyer, Tawanda Maguwudze of Chasi and Maguwudze Law Firm, to oversee the transaction to ensure transparency in the handling of funds.
Court papers indicated that on June 27, 2025, Java met Mashayamombe, Muronda and Danai Mawire at her legal representatives' offices, where the accused allegedly demanded US$300 000 each for the allocation of the stands.
It was reportedly agreed that US$50 000 would be paid to each accused as a deposit, with the balance payable after issuance of lease agreements.
The State alleged that Maguwudze subsequently disbursed US$50 000 to each accused person, who signed acknowledgements of receipt.
However, prosecutors later alleged that Java discovered on December 15, 2025, that the stands in question had already been allocated by the City of Harare to Logara Properties, a company unrelated to her transaction.
The State further alleged that the accused had purportedly sold stands that were still council-owned property and not legally available for disposal.
Java's alleged prejudice was valued at US$100 000.
The matter has now been withdrawn before plea, bringing the prosecution to an end.
Harare magistrate Jessy Kufa formally withdrew the matter before plea after the prosecution indicated that there was insufficient evidence to proceed with the case.
Mashayamombe was represented by Devoted Nyagano and Felistas Mwaonandini, while Barnabas Kazembe appeared for Muronda during the proceedings.
Prosecutor Oscar Madhume told the court that the complainant had previously expressed a desire to withdraw the matter, contributing to the decision to discontinue the prosecution.
The complainant, Mavis Java, a farmer and director of Maja Logistics, is currently serving a prison sentence in a separate fraud matter.
According to the State's initial allegations, between April and June 2025, Mashayamombe and Muronda allegedly approached Java claiming they could facilitate the allocation and sale of commercial stands in Newlands, located at the corner of ED Mnangagwa Road and Churchill Avenue in Harare.
It was alleged that the stands would be allocated through companies linked to the accused and later transferred to Java upon completion of the transaction.
The companies cited in the matter included Aspire Elite Incorporated (Private) Limited, Diexodus Marketing (Private) Limited, Gemdale Investments (Private) Limited and Clean Burn Energy (Private) Limited.
The State further alleged that Java engaged her lawyer, Tawanda Maguwudze of Chasi and Maguwudze Law Firm, to oversee the transaction to ensure transparency in the handling of funds.
Court papers indicated that on June 27, 2025, Java met Mashayamombe, Muronda and Danai Mawire at her legal representatives' offices, where the accused allegedly demanded US$300 000 each for the allocation of the stands.
It was reportedly agreed that US$50 000 would be paid to each accused as a deposit, with the balance payable after issuance of lease agreements.
The State alleged that Maguwudze subsequently disbursed US$50 000 to each accused person, who signed acknowledgements of receipt.
However, prosecutors later alleged that Java discovered on December 15, 2025, that the stands in question had already been allocated by the City of Harare to Logara Properties, a company unrelated to her transaction.
The State further alleged that the accused had purportedly sold stands that were still council-owned property and not legally available for disposal.
Java's alleged prejudice was valued at US$100 000.
The matter has now been withdrawn before plea, bringing the prosecution to an end.
Source - newsday
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