HARARE – Former Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) boss Basil Nyabadza, accused of defrauding Zanu PF central committee member Blessed Geza of US$1.3 million in a land scam stalled his trial on Thursday after he requested for further particulars.
Nyabadza is accused of selling the outspoken war veteran’s land without authority.
His trial was supposed to start before Harare regional magistrate Tilda Mazhande but through his lawyer Tazorora Musarurwa Nyabadza he asked for more information from the National Prosecuting Authority. He argued that the additional information will enable him to adequately prepare his defence.
Nyabadza wants prosecutors to clarify if they have, as part of their evidence, any other documents outside the agreement of sale.
“Provide a breakdown of how this amount was calculated. Explain how the amount of US$1.3 million which is the alleged purchase price of the whole of Lot 5 of Spitzkop constitutes the prejudice suffered by Geza given that he only paid a total of US$112,000.
“Provide evidence of the payments amounting to US$1.3 million made by Geza including receipts or bank statements,” his lawyer said.
Trial is now expected to start on February 24.
It is state’s case that on October 29, 2020, Geza bought a piece of land from Nyabadza measuring 423,504 hectares for US$1,362,000.
Chirenje said Geza was granted sole authority to subdivide, develop and sell the piece of land.
It is alleged that when the agreement of sale was done, Nyabadza allegedly misrepresented to Geza that the land had title deeds and promised to avail the document in a month, but failed to do so.
The court heard that while Geza was in the process of obtaining subdivision permits for the land from the department of physical planning in Mashonaland West province, he discovered that Nyabadza had sold the same land to Velda Estates.
It is further alleged that Geza engaged Nyabadza hoping for an amicable solution only to discover that the agreement of sale had been cancelled without his knowledge.
