By Judith Nyuke
A Harare man was left counting his losses after being swindled out of US$45 000 in a botched residential stand deal.
The accused person in the matter, Ashley Tinaye Charlie (28) appeared before Harare Magistrate Ruth Moyo charged with fraud.
The complainant in the matter is Moses Phiri.
Sometime in 2021, Charlie—acting in connivance with Pearson Chinanga, who is already appearing before the court on the same case under CRB HREPN 4323/26—hatched a plan to defraud the complainant.
Pursuant to their plan, Chinanga approached Phiri and introduced him to Charlie, falsely claiming Charlie was the owner of Stand 783, The Grange (of Stand 562 of The Grange Township), measuring 3,200 square meters.
Charlie offered the property for sale at a purchase price of US$48,000. Phiri viewed the stand and expressed interest in purchasing it.
To convince the buyer, Charlie allegedly produced a forged City of Harare offer letter featuring official council letterhead and a fake signature of the Director of Housing and Community Services.
He also presented a fake survey diagram leading Phiri to believe the transaction was legitimate.
Between March 2021 and July 2021, Phiri made installment payments to Charlie totaling US$45 000.
A memorandum of agreement of sale was signed, and Charlie issued signed acknowledgments of receipt for each payment.
Sometime in 2025, Phiri discovered that Charlie was neither the legal owner of the stand nor authorized to sell it.
Realising all the documents provided were fraudulent, he filed a police report.
The total value prejudiced is US$45,000, and nothing was recovered.
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