The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) arrested a senior government official in Manicaland Province on Thursday on charges of selling state land and misrepresenting to the buyer that it was theirs.
ZACC said in a statement that Joyce Munamati, a Manicaland District Civil Registrar, allegedly fraudulently sold a 32.5-hectare piece of land, subdivision 22 of Wallacedale in Odzi, to Calvin Zeke for US$15,000, after providing him with false information. She owned the said property.
“The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested Ms Joyce Munamati, Manicaland District Civil Registrar, on charges of fraudulently selling state land,” the commission said.
“Monamati is charged with fraud as defined in Section 136 of the Criminal Code (Codification Reform) Act,” he added.
Last Wednesday, the government warned anyone, including traditional leaders, against selling state land, saying those found on the wrong side of the law would be prosecuted.
The warning, made by Obert Giri, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, came against the backdrop of the increasing practice by village chiefs, especially in communal lands around the greater Harare metropolis, of selling state land.
He said traditional leaders were not allowed to sell state land, adding that all communal lands were classified as state land owned by the secretariat.
Over the years, a number of individuals have been arrested for selling state land, some of them hiding behind the ruling party.
In 2015, police arrested the late businessman and former Chitungwiza 25 councillor, Frederick Mbamba, on charges of selling state and council land to house seekers.
In October 2022, three land barons, States Simosanza, Ranson Chingwara and Tydings Keita, were jailed for 12 months on fraud charges by a magistrate in Harare for illegally selling state land earmarked for a new primary school in Buderero.
The trio was arrested by ZACC.
In October 2020, Naboth Manengira, a Zanu PF councilor in Hatcliffe, was also arrested on charges of illegally selling state land in the area. – New Ziana.
