Man jailed for bogus communal land sale that cost two women US$1,150, Mutare court hears

Man jailed for bogus communal land sale that cost two women US$1,150, Mutare court hears
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A 51-year-old man from Nyadongo Village under Chief Zimunya has been sentenced to an effective six months in prison after he admitted to defrauding two women of US$1,150 in a fake communal land transaction, a Mutare court heard.

Stephen Shamu appeared before Magistrate Honest Musiyiwa at the Mutare Magistrates’ Court on 25 February 2026 facing two counts of fraud, as defined in Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act. He pleaded guilty to both counts.

The court heard that between August and November 2025, Shamu misrepresented to the complainants, Nokuthula Nleya and Bridget Batsirai Chiwandika, that he had the lawful authority to sell land in Dora Village, Mutare.

Prosecutors said Shamu collected US$525 from Nleya and US$625 from Chiwandika, promising them ownership rights, village registration and fencing.

The court was told that in November 2025, the deal was allegedly supported by false affidavits in which Shamu inserted the details of a supposed landowner, Douglas Bhunu, while appending his own signature and fingerprint.

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The offence came to light when the complainants attempted to develop the land and were stopped by the village head, Bvirindi, who advised them that the land did not belong to Shamu or Bhunu, but had been reserved for his sister, the court heard.

The matter was reported to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and Shamu was arrested on 23 February 2026.

In sentencing, Magistrate Musiyiwa imposed a 12-month prison term, with six months suspended on condition that Shamu fully compensates the complainants US$1,150 by 10 March 2026. This leaves an effective six months to be served if the condition is met.

Cases involving the sale of communal land without authority continue to concern communities, and residents are urged to verify land allocations through traditional leadership and relevant local authorities before making payments or signing documents.

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