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Nqobile Tshili, Chronicle Reporter 

POLICE in Bulawayo have launched a manhunt for an allegedly serial land fraudster who pretended to be a village head and sold plots and residential stands to home seekers in Kensington on the outskirt of the city.

Obvious Nyika (33) allegedly sold land belonging to MacDonald Bricks to an unknown number of unsuspecting land seekers pretending that it belonged to him.

Bulawayo acting police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said 11 of his victims have since reported being defrauded by Nyika between 2016 and May this year.

“Police in Bulawayo are investigating a case of fraud which occurred in Kensington on the outskirts of Bulawayo between April 1, 2016 and May 14, 2019. The accused Obvious Nyika aged 33 of last known address 6B Kensington Extension Bulawayo misrepresented himself to the complainants as the village head and allocated them plots and residential stands measuring 50 to 100 square metres knowing that the land belonged to MacDonald Bricks. The complainants were made to pay US$350 each and they started to construct structures on the allocated plots,” said Asst Insp Msebele.

She said last month MacDonald Bricks started demolishing the structures that Nyika’s victims had constructed on its land.

Asst Insp Msebele said that is when it became clear to the victims that they had been defrauded.

She said Nyika vanished as his victims opened a fraud case at Hillside Police Station.

“At the present moment 11 counts of fraud have been reported and there is a possibility for more cases coming. We are also appealing to members of the public with information which may lead in the arrest of the accused person to contact CID Commercial Crime Division Southern Region on landline 09-78446 or the investigating officer Detective Sergeant Bekimpilo Nhlabano on 0772610607 or visit any nearest police station,” Asst Insp Msebele said. 

She urged members of the public to avoid buying land from unscrupulous persons or unregistered property dealers as this exposes them to fraudsters. 

Asst Insp Msebele said home seekers should visit registered property agents as well as local authorities to verify ownership of properties they intend to buy.

Scores of people were recently evicted from the MacDonald Farm in Umguza.  — @nqotshili