By Judith Nyuke
PASSION Java’s sister Mavis Madzivanzira has been convicted of NINE counts of fraud involving US$120,000.
Harare Regional Magistrate Feresi Chakanyuka convicted Mavis and her accomplice, Pauline Gutsa, at the conclusion of their trial.
While the pair was convicted, their co-accused, Harare lawyer Proud Mutuso, was cleared of all charges.
Magistrate Chakanyuka ruled that the State failed to establish any link between Mutuso and the crime. Mutuso was represented by lawyer Oscar Gasva.
The State, represented by Oscar Madhume successfully argued that the duo, acting as co-directors of Segimel Investments, defrauded more than four individuals of US$120,000 by selling them nine non-existent residential stands.
The victims including Farai Chikuwa, Naledi Maunganidze, Fortune Rukara, and Newman Museve, only realized they had been scammed after City of Harare records confirmed the stands did not exist in the municipal database.
The court heard that in September 2019, Gutsa and Madzivanzira misrepresented themselves as sellers of residential stands in Milton Park, Vainona, Logan Park, and Gunhill. By presenting fraudulent ‘Harare City Council site plans,’ they convinced Farai Chikuwa—a director of two construction firms—to purchase three Milton Park stands that were pegged for US$15,000 each.
Chikuwa later bought six additional stands in Vainona and Logan Park for herself and Naledi Maunganidze, bringing the total deposit paid into the pair’s attorney’s trust account to US$97,450.
Despite promises to deliver offer letters, nothing materialized. Upon investigating with the City of Harare, Chikuwa discovered the stands did not exist in the municipal database, prompting her to report the fraud to the police.
In a separate count from June 2019, Fortune Rukara was lured into a similar scheme involving a Greendale stand. After negotiating the price down to US$20,000 due to a lack of title deeds, Rukara deposited the funds into a trust account.
Although the agreement required Rukara’s signature to release the funds upon receipt of an offer letter, the duo managed to withdraw the money and disappear. Rukara later learned at the Greendale District Office that the land was not zoned for residential use.
Java and Gutsa are expected to appear in court on Thursday for pre-sentence hearing.
