A suspected Harare land baron allegedly duped six people more than US$36 000 by selling residential stands on land reserved for recreational purposes.
Ronald Kugomba (26) from Ushewekunze appeared before Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa, who released him on a US$300 bail last week.
Kugomba will return to court on September 17 for possible allocation of trial date.
Prosecutor Anesu Chirenje alleged that sometime in 2006, the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works allocated Madzibaba Border Gezi residential stands in Retreat, Waterfalls.
The government reserved some stands for recreational sites, a police station and a primary school.
Sometime in 2020, Kugomba allegedly invaded the reserved piece of land and subdivided it into 32 residential stands.
He allegedly sold the stands to unsuspecting victims after deceiving them to believe that he had the mandate to sell them.
It is alleged that the victims paid US$10 899 and later invested about US$25 200 in terms of development on the stands.