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Lesley Chikudo, [email protected]
A 43-YEAR-OLD man from Pumula South who defrauded a woman of R105 800 in a botched housing deal has been dragged to court on charges of fraud.
Simon Sibanda appeared before the Bulawayo West Commonage magistrate Mrs Sibongile Marondedze who remanded him out of custody to November 5 on US$100 bail.
According to the State case presented by Ms Melisa Dube, Sibanda duped Mrs Rosemary Ndlovu after claiming that he owned a stand in Cowdray Park suburb, in July 2022.
“The accused person misrepresented to the complainant that he was the owner of stand number 18598 Cowdray Park knowing that the stand did not belong to him, and that he was in a position to construct a four roomed house for the complainant on the stand if he was paid US$ 13 000 as deposit,” said Ms Dube.
She said Mrs Ndlovu paid a deposit of R90 000 towards the purchase of the house and Sibanda promised to commence construction of the house.
“Sometime in August 2022 after noticing that the accused was reluctant to construct the house, the complainant enquired from the Cowdray Park Housing Office about the ownership of stand number 18598 Cowdray and was informed that it did not belong to Sibanda, complainant confronted the accused who made another misrepresentation that he had a two roomed house number 18050 Cowdray Park which he was offering the complainant and the complainant accepted it and paid R9 800 as deposit “said Ms Dube.
She said sometime in January 2023, the Mrs Ndlovu was approached by a male adult who claimed that the house was his and he had bought it from Sibanda in 2021.
“Sometime in 2023 the accused person demanded the outstanding balance and promised to secure another stand where he will build the 4 roomed house for the complainant, and he was given R6 000,” said Ms Dube.
Mrs Ndlovu, reported the matter to the police after realising that she had been duped.