A MAN from Harare has appeared in court for allegedly defrauding a close university friend of 15 years by selling him a non-existent stand for US$60 000.
Takawira Norman Munyavi (34), appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Tafadzwa Miti on Monday and was remanded in custody to tomorrow pending a bail ruling.
The friend who bought the alleged non-existent stand is Mr Aylwin Tinashe Moyo.
The State alleges that Munyavi and Mr Moyo have a long-standing friendship dating back to 2008 when they were both at Solusi University.
In 2014, Mr Moyo, by then employed by Nissan Clover Leaf Motors in Bulawayo as an accountant, wanted to buy a residential stand and approached his old friend Munyavi, who was based in Harare, to help him find a suitable stand.
Munyavi allegedly lied to Mr Moyo that he had a residential stand in Fidelity Park, Harare, which he was selling for US$7 000 and Mr Moyo agreed to buy it and by the following year had paid for it.
However, when he wanted to collect the title deeds, Munyavi said that he was facing challenges in transferring the property since he had acquired it from the Air Force of Zimbabwe. He then allegedly offered another non-existent stand in Gletwin Park, Harare, measuring 3 000 square metres for US$60 000.
The court heard that Mr Moyo agreed to buy the stand and paid the money in instalments, through bank transfers. The money was wired through the Mukuru Money Transfer platform, Ecocash, cash and a Mercedes Benz registration number ADG 9265, until he had paid US$58 450 by 2020.
Mr Moyo only realised that he had been duped again, when he came to Harare last year to occupy the stand and discovered it belonged to a Mr Kagande.
He reported the matter to the police leading to Munyavi’s arrest.
Moyo was prejudiced of US$58 450 and nothing was recovered. – The Herald
