Two Land Barons In Court For Fleecing 52 Home Seekers In Mabelreign
Two suspected land barons, Lillian Chitanga (52) and Spencer Mabeka (45), both from Mabelreign, Harare, appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing fraud charges. The pair are directors of Brickstone Builders and Contractors Private Limited.
In Zimbabwe, “land barons” refers to individuals or entities that illegally sell or lease land, often in urban areas, without proper authorization or legitimate ownership.
These people typically exploit the demand for housing by subdividing land and selling plots, sometimes misleading buyers about the legality of the transactions.
They may operate outside the law, bypassing regulations and necessary approvals from local authorities and often forge documents, such as approval letters, to appear legitimate.
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the allegations date back to May 2002, when the City of Harare approved the subdivision of a portion of land in Belvedere Ridge View into 52 residential stands. However, this plan was never implemented.
Further allegations claim that Chitanga and Mabeka forged a distribution letter approving a layout plan dated April 20, 2021, along with an offer letter dated April 22, 2021.
Both documents were purportedly authored and signed by the Principal Director of Physical Planning in the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works. Said the NPA:
They also forged another offer letter offering their company Brickstone Builders and Contractors Private Limited 14.4354 hectares of land dated 15 December 2015, purportedly authored and signed by the Housing Director of the City of Harare.
Equipped with the fake documents, the accused persons invaded the land and engaged a land developer to develop 52 residential stands measuring approximately 2000 square meters each.
They advertised and sold land to 45 unsuspecting land seekers who made payments ranging from US$ 25,000 to US$ 40,000.
They issued out lease agreements and offer letters signed by both accused persons as the land sellers.
The land seekers erected structures which were demolished by the city council.
Chitanga and Mabeka filed an urgent chamber application with the High Court seeking to stop the Council from demolishing the structures as well as interdicting the Council from evicting them from the said land.
The prosecution alleges that the accused persons misrepresented in their court application that they were legal owners of the said land by tendering fake documents.
Investigations by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) revealed that the allocation letter that was presented before the courts by the accused persons was not authentic.
Chitanga and Mabeka will be back in court this Wednesday, 18 September, for the continuation of the bail hearing.
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