Deeds Office sucked into Harare land scam

The Harare City Council (HCC) land scam involving plots in Greendale has escalated, drawing in the Deeds Office amid serious allegations of the creation of fake deeds by individuals allegedly linked to the department. Investigations are currently underway to uncover the extent of the fraudulent activities.

In May 2024, the HCC formed a sub-committee led by Ward 16 Councillor Denford Ngadziore to probe the circumstances surrounding the occupation of stands 154 to 166 in Amby Township, Greendale, where cluster houses have been constructed. The committee also includes councillors Prince Matebuka, Richard Pamire, and Jane Bingari, along with HCC officials Aaron Tayerera, John Mudzengerera, and Stanley Kumbirai Chimbetete.

The sub-committee was appointed following a directive under item 3 of the minutes dated May 23, 2024, to investigate compliance with town planning procedures and relevant statutes concerning the allocation and occupation of the residential stands described as the remaining extent of Bingley, Salisbury Township.

In response to recent media reports, Muchada Legal Practice, representing Bytany (PVT) Limited - one of the land's beneficiaries - issued a letter dated October 10 to Ngadziore, which was also sent to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, the Registrar of the Deeds Office, and Harare Mayor Jacob Mafume. The letter asserts that the HCC has reportedly incurred a loss of US$2 million due to these dubious land deals.

According to the letter, Bytany claims lawful ownership of 2.2438 hectares of land known as stand number 173 in Amby Township, held under title deed number 5211/1996, and an additional 6.3125 hectares including a vested roadway registered under deed number 5211/86, which encompasses stands 154 to 166. The properties were acquired from ANZ Grindlays Finance Zimbabwe Limited (now Stanbic Bank) in 1986.

The legal representatives stated that after the death of a shareholder, James Mutetwa, an executor sought title deeds for evaluation purposes. It was during this inquiry that the original copy of deed number 5211/86 was found to be missing. Upon attempting to obtain a duplicate, it was discovered that a person named Keith Moses Sherry had falsely claimed to represent Bytany. Investigations confirmed that no such individual exists within the Registrar of Births and Deaths system, and the national identity documents he presented were invalid.

Consequently, Bytany reported the case to the police, leading to an ongoing fraud investigation.

Deeds, Companies, and Intellectual Property Chief Registrar Willie Mushayi stated he was unaware of the matter. However, Ngadziore confirmed receiving correspondence from Bytany's lawyers. "I am pleased to have received this correspondence from lawyers representing Baytany Private Limited," Ngadziore said. "They have agreed with our findings that the title deeds, agreements of sale, offer letters, and receipts were all fake."

Further audits revealed discrepancies in the letterheads used for these documents, including outdated signatories referencing the now-defunct title of the corporate services department, instead of the current housing and community services designation.

As investigations continue, the HCC faces mounting pressure to ensure accountability and transparency in land dealings, particularly in light of the alleged systemic corruption that has come to light.