A Bulawayo woman has failed to gain access to a house she bought in 1998 after a suspected fraudster disappeared after receiving money for the property.
Viola Manyuka regrets the day she entered into a sales agreement with Julius Sibanda to buy a four-room house then valued at US$75,000.
In an interview with NewsDay, Manuka said she had fulfilled her part of the contract but Sibanda had been evasive for the past 25 years. He allegedly refused to go to the housing office to change ownership of the house.
She said she entered into an agreement with Sibanda to purchase the property at No. 30161 Entombane, Bulawayo in 1998.
“I bought a house from Sibanda in Entombane in 1998, and to date the house has not been delivered to me. I tried to hire lawyers and paid some of the money requested but my efforts were to no avail,” Manuka said.
“In our agreement, we agreed that I would occupy the house after I finished paying for it. After I finished paying for the house, he started avoiding handing over the house to me. We tried to search for him and were told that he had left for South Africa until today.”
Manyuka said she paid part of the price for the house through legal editor Ngwenya and his partners who promised to facilitate the transfer of ownership upon completion of payment.
“After paying the remaining amount through the lawyer, he closed our case and did not help. I tried to occupy the house by force, but I received threats from his relatives that he had a gun. She added: “I went to the housing office and discovered that the house was in his wife’s name.”
According to receipts Manuka showed to NewsDay, she paid the remaining amount in three installments through her law firm between 1999 and 2000.
A letter dated 4 January 1999 from the Consumers Council of Zimbabwe, signed by the Bulawayo Regional Officer, AK Bedzisa, unsuccessfully appeals to Sibanda.
“This office has received a complaint from Manuka alleging that you entered into a willing seller and willing buyer agreement.
“You have received US$50,000 towards the purchase price of a property built on Stand No. 30161 Entumbane. Since you have received the said amount, you have failed to allow the buyer to take possession of that property and we therefore request you to contact our offices and see the below location on January 6, 1999 at 8.30 AM,” It was stated in part of the message.
Efforts to locate Sibanda and his wife for comment over the past week were fruitless. Newsday
