Investigating officer, Detective Constable Tafadzwa Marash, said the case in which former Education Minister, Dzingai Mutombuka, lost his home to suspected fraudsters in Harare, involved well-organised crime.
Marashi, who works at the Criminal Investigations Department (Property), told Harare Magistrate Ethel Chishira during his two-and-a-half-hour cross-examination that the alleged fraud through which title deeds to the Mutombuka Chisibet residence were forged is one of the most sophisticated organized crimes committed by Masri.
The case is being heard at Rotten Row Magistrates’ Court.
Marashi said although Prosper Beswick and Tatenda Wakatama (accused of forging property titles) were not mentioned in the sale agreement, they all played their part in damaging Mutombuka with his US$600,000 house.
He said Beswick’s role was to obtain title deeds from the Registrar of Deeds’ office and that is why he used his alleged girlfriend Lena Mlambo who works there as a supervisor.
In the guild, Wakatama’s role is to search for buyers, while Juna Nujoom, who is still at large, acts as the owner of the house while selling to potential buyers.
After receiving the title deed, Ngome digitally manipulated it into his name and found Wakatama the buyer.
The title deeds were returned after the document was changed in Ngome’s forged name.
Mlambo stated in her caution and caution statement that she was involved in the scam but became hostile in court and said she did not know all the accused and had never met them.
The State’s case is that on June 22, 2021, Mlambo conspired with her boyfriend Prosper Beziwick, Tatenda “Shaft” Wakatama, two others and Ngumi to forge Mutombuka title deed No. 4480/88. They forged the deed in Nojomi’s name.
Judge Chichira adjourned the case to April 12, 2024. Masvingo Mirror
