A REAL estate company has been dragged to court for allegedly selling a residential stand belonging to the Bulawayo City Council (BCC).
Landwey Construction Private Limited, represented by Vainah Moyo, was not asked to plead when it appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Maxwell Ncube on Friday last week facing a US$3 400 fraud.
The matter was remanded to December 20.
It is the State’s case that on February 10, Moyo hatched a plan to defraud Sibangani Sibanda who wanted to buy a residential stand. Moyo allegedly advertised some stands on Facebook and Sibanda reportedly called Moyo on February 12 this year using her mobilephone to enquire about the residential stand.
Moyo allegedly told Sibanda that the stands were no longer available in Cowdray Park but in Nketa 8, Nketa 9 and Emganwini suburbs. The court heard that the two agreed to meet the following day to view the stands.
According to court papers, on February 13 at around 9am, Moyo sent one of her workers, Easyboy Tshabangu, to Sibanda, who took her to Nketa 9 and Nketa 8 to view the residential stands.
After viewing the residential stands, Sibanda expressed interest in one of the infill stands measuring 400 square metres. Tshabangu then took Sibanda to Moyo’s house where she confirmed that the stand was available at US$9 000.
She promised to avail the stand number after payment was made in full.
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Moyo allegedly directed Sibanda to pay at her office and she was accompanied by Tshabangu to an office in Bulawayo city centre.
Sibanda paid a deposit of US$3 400 for the stand, which was received by Mzingaye Dhlamini on behalf of Moyo. Dhlamini drafted an acknowledgement of receipt dated February 15, signed the receipt, and Sibanda countersigned.
Tshabangu and Dhlamini signed as witnesses.
On February 16, Sibanda reportedly discovered that she had been duped when Moyo phoned and told her that she did not have her particulars.
The court heard that Sibanda reported the matter at Bulawayo Central Police Station and investigations were carried out which established that the said residential stand belonged to BCC.
Sibanda was prejudiced US$2 600 and US$800 was recovered.
