HARARE – A land seeker lost US$66,000 to a Goromonzi farmer who allegedly defrauded him of the amount under a false deal, a Harare magistrate’s court has heard.
Peter Rupiya, aged 65, was Friday dragged to court charged with fraud after he allegedly conned Kudzai Macquros Chimuka who was seeking land to venture into farming.
Rupiya appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi who remanded him out of custody on US$300 bail.
He was not asked to plead.
He will be back in court in two weeks for his routine remand while awaiting trial.
It is alleged that sometime in June 2023, the complainant was looking for a piece of land to buy for farming and approached his friend Shepherd Gurure who then referred him to Rupiya.
Rupiya was selling a piece of land along the Harare-Mutare road near Surrey Abattoir, Marondera.
Chimuka then contacted accused person and met at the farm.
“After viewing the farm measuring 200 hectares, complainant was satisfied with it and the parties negotiated for US$120,000.
“Complainant later paid the accused person a deposit payment of US$66,000 for the piece of land.
“After the deposit payment, Rupiya promised the complainant that he would facilitate the change of ownership,” said the state.
He started being evasive.
Chimuka then visited the farm only to find another person in occupation and making some developments on the farm.
Rupiya failed to give a satisfactory explanation forcing Chimuka to report the matter.
Total value defrauded is US$66,000 and nothing was recovered.
