A Harare lawyer and an estate agent have gone into hiding after allegedly defrauding a home seeker of US$14 000 in a bogus property deal involving a commercial stand in Highfield.
The complainant, Cosma Mazambara, was reportedly duped by a trio consisting of lawyer Proud Fambisai Mutuso, estate agent Jacob Mugugu, and businessman Regis Jonas Maguva, the owner and founder of Vanguard (Pvt) Ltd.
Prosecutor Takudzwa Jambawu told the court that the incident occurred in 2023 when Mazambara was looking for a commercial property to buy.
He was approached by Mugugu, who introduced him to Maguva, falsely claiming that Maguva was selling Stand Number 8641 in Highfield Township for US$14,000.
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After inspecting the property, Mazambara expressed interest and was then introduced to Mutuso, who was presented as the conveyancer responsible for the transaction.
Mazambara reportedly handed over the full purchase amount to Mutuso, who was supposed to hold the funds in trust until ownership transfer was completed.
An agreement of sale was signed, and Mazambara was promised council documents confirming ownership within a few days. However, when he later contacted Mutuso to collect the documents, the lawyer allegedly became evasive and stopped responding to his calls.
Investigations later revealed that the stand in question was not owned by any of the accused but was in fact reserved by the Harare City Council for a police post. The council’s Planning Department confirmed that the land had never been sold, leased, or allocated to anyone.
Maguva has since appeared before Magistrate Tapiwa Kuhudzai and was granted bail pending trial. He is expected to return to court on November 11.
Meanwhile, Mutuso and Mugugu remain at large, and police have launched a manhunt for their arrest.
The trio allegedly misrepresented themselves as the rightful owners of the stand, prejudicing Mazambara of US$14,000.
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