By Judith Nyuke
A 62-year-old Harare woman reportedly swindled a prospective home seeker out of US$137 000 following a botched property deal.
Virginia Tambudzai Maida, appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei charged with fraud.
She was granted US$1 000 bail and advised not to interfere with State witnesses as well as to reside at her given address until the matter is finalised.
The case was remanded to 6 February 2026.
The complainant in this case is The Mash Family Futures Trust represented by Tinashe Nigel Mashingaidze (32).
The State represented by Oscar Madhume alleges that on 17 July 2025 the Complainant sought to purchase a residential property.
Having knowledge of the Complainant’s financial liquidity, Maida reportedly approached them with an offer to sell a property located at No. 470A Marlborough Extension 3, Harare (held under Deed of Transfer 2259/99) for the sum of US$120,000.00—a price significantly below market value.
The following day, during a meeting at the offices of the Complainant’s legal counsel Exactly Mangezi Maida represented herself as the Executrix Dative of the late Steward Matsikira’s estate (DRH 2312/02).
It is further alleged that she fraudulently claimed to have obtained the necessary consent from the estate’s beneficiaries to sell the property, despite not yet having the Master of the High Court’s formal authority.
Relying on these false representations, the Complainant was induced to proceed with the purchase.
Maida reportedly claimed she had the Master of the High Court’s authority (granted 19 August 2024) to sell the Marlborough property for US$120 000.
Based on this, the Complainant paid the full amount in cash receiving an affidavit and an acknowledgment of receipt.
It is the State’s case that the subsequent transfer process failed because the estate’s beneficiaries had filed formal complaints and a High Court lawsuit (HCHF 4229/25) to nullify the sale.
Maida reportedly intentionally withheld news of this litigation and the subsequent High Court ruling on 6 November 2025 which officially nullified the sale.
Instead, she maintained a pretense that the transfer was proceeding smoothly.
The Complainant only discovered the fraud via a third party on 7 December 2025.
When confronted, Maida allegelly became evasive and was found to have provided fake residential addresses on official documents.
Investigations suggest she used the Complainant’s funds to settle an unrelated debt.
Following a police report on 11 January 2026, Maida was arrested.
Total value prejudiced is US$137 400-00 inclusive of other ancillary charges and nothing was recovered.
