A 62-year-old Borrowdale resident, Virginia Tambudzai Maida, appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing charges of theft of trust property after allegedly selling a deceased person’s property under false pretences.
Maida appeared before Magistrate Donald Ndirowei, who granted her bail of US$1 000. She is expected to return to court on February 6 pending the finalisation of investigations.
The complainant is represented by Tinashe Nigel Mashingaidze of the Mash Family Futures Trust.
The State alleges that Maida misrepresented herself as the executrix dative of her late brother’s estate and fraudulently sold a disputed property located at 470A Marlborough Extension 3, Harare, held under Deed of Transfer number 2259/99.
According to prosecutor Oscar Madhume, on July 17, 2025, Maida approached the complainant offering to sell the property for US$120 000, allegedly well below its market value.
She claimed to have obtained the necessary authority from both the Master of the High Court of Zimbabwe and the estate’s beneficiaries to dispose of the property.
On July 18, 2025, the complainant, accompanied by his lawyer, Exactly Mangezi of Mangezi, Nleya and Partners, met Maida to finalise the transaction.
Maida allegedly produced a letter of administration issued to her on March 18, 2002, and claimed she had been authorised by the Master of the High Court on August 19, 2024, to sell the property without going to auction.
Believing the transaction to be legitimate, the complainant paid US$120 000 in cash. Maida provided an affidavit, an acknowledgement of receipt, and a power of attorney to facilitate the transfer of ownership.
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However, attempts to process the conveyance failed after complaints were lodged at the Master of the High Court’s office by the estate’s beneficiaries, Shamiso Mitchelle Matsikira and Tinotenda Matsikira.
The State alleges that Maida concealed critical information from the complainant, including the fact that the sale of the property was being contested by the beneficiaries.
She is also accused of failing to disclose that the beneficiaries had instituted High Court proceedings to nullify the sale.
Even after the High Court invalidated the transaction under case number HCHF 4229/25 on November 6, 2025, Maida allegedly did not inform the complainant.
On December 7, 2025, the complainant reportedly learned of the High Court ruling through an informant and realised he had been defrauded.
Efforts to contact Maida were unsuccessful, with the court hearing that she became evasive and unreachable.
Further investigations revealed that the residential addresses Maida had provided on official documents were allegedly fictitious.
The complainant also discovered that Maida had allegedly used the US$120 000 to settle a personal debt in an unrelated court matter.
The matter was reported to the police on January 11, 2026, leading to Maida’s arrest.
The total prejudice to the complainant, including ancillary charges, is estimated at US$137 400.
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