Harare Woman in Court Over US$137,000 Property Fraud

A Harare woman has appeared in court charged with fraud after allegedly swindling a property buyer out of US$137,000 in a failed Marlborough property transaction (image source)

HARARE — A 62-year-old Harare woman has appeared in court facing fraud charges after allegedly swindling a prospective home seeker out of US$137,000 in a failed property transaction.

Virginia Tambudzai Maida appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei, where she was formally charged with fraud. She was granted bail of US$1,000 and ordered not to interfere with State witnesses. The court further instructed her to continue residing at her given address until the matter is finalised. The case was remanded to February 6, 2026.

The complainant in the matter is The Mash Family Futures Trust, represented by Mr Tinashe Nigel Mashingaidze (32). The State is being represented by prosecutor Mr Oscar Madhume.

According to the State, on July 17, 2025, Maida approached the complainant offering to sell a property located at Number 470A Marlborough Extension 3, Harare, held under Deed of Transfer 2259/99, for US$120,000, a figure reportedly below market value. The following day, during a meeting at the complainant’s lawyers’ offices, Maida allegedly misrepresented herself as the executrix dative of the late Steward Matsikira’s estate (DRH 2312/02).

Prosecutors allege that Maida falsely claimed she had obtained consent from the estate’s beneficiaries to sell the property, despite not having authority from the Master of the High Court. Relying on these representations, the complainant paid the full purchase price in cash and received an affidavit and an acknowledgement of receipt from Maida.

The transaction later collapsed after beneficiaries of the estate filed a High Court application (HCHF 4229/25) seeking to nullify the sale. On November 6, 2025, the High Court ruled in favour of the beneficiaries, officially invalidating the transaction. The State alleges that Maida concealed this ruling and continued to assure the complainant that the transfer process was ongoing.

The complainant reportedly discovered the alleged fraud through a third party on December 7, 2025. When confronted, Maida allegedly became evasive. Further investigations revealed that she had provided false residential addresses on official documents.

Police investigations suggest that Maida used the funds to settle an unrelated debt. Following a report filed on January 11, 2026, she was arrested. The total prejudice amounts to US$137,400, including ancillary charges, with nothing recovered to date.