Mvurwi stands scam suspect Sydney Chihombe arrested after five years on the run

Sydney Chihombe arrested over Mvurwi residential stands fraud investigation

Former Mvurwi Town Council employee Sydney Chihombe, who allegedly fled Zimbabwe after being implicated in a multi-million-dollar residential stands fraud, has been arrested after spending nearly five years on the run.

Authorities confirmed that Chihombe was apprehended over the weekend while allegedly attempting to board a flight in neighbouring South Africa before being returned to Zimbabwe to face prosecution.

"We arrested him and took him to Mvurwi Police Station where investigations are underway," a law enforcement source said.

His arrest revives one of Zimbabwe's most high-profile local authority land fraud cases, in which council officials were accused of illegally selling residential stands despite a council resolution suspending all allocations.

According to court records, Mvurwi Town Council resolved during a full council meeting on October 3, 2018, to suspend the sale of residential stands. However, prosecutors allege that between October 10, 2018, and June 2020, Chihombe and three other council officials conspired to continue selling stands to unsuspecting home seekers. The State alleges that the accused targeted desperate home seekers, falsely claiming they had authority to allocate residential stands before issuing counterfeit council receipts to buyers.

An internal audit later uncovered the alleged fraud, revealing that 32 prospective homeowners had been duped, with the council suffering prejudice amounting to approximately ZWL$18.8 million under the then-prevailing currency system. When the matter first came before the courts in 2021, Chihombe had already disappeared, while three of his alleged accomplices, including senior council officials, appeared before the Guruve Magistrates' Court facing fraud charges.

One victim, who requested anonymity because the criminal proceedings are ongoing, said the promised residential stand never materialised despite full payment.

"We trusted the receipts because they looked genuine. Many families invested their life savings hoping to build homes, only to discover years later that the allocations were fraudulent."

Legal expert Kumbirai Mafunda, executive director of the Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum, says public corruption cases involving land transactions highlight the importance of transparent local authority governance.

"Fraud involving public resources undermines confidence in public institutions and has devastating financial consequences for ordinary citizens. Swift investigations and fair prosecution are essential to restoring public trust," Mafunda has previously said on the importance of accountability in public administration.

Chihombe is expected to face charges including fraud and criminal abuse of office under Zimbabwean law. Police investigations are continuing, and authorities have not ruled out additional charges should further evidence emerge.

The case comes as Zimbabwe continues to tighten its fight against corruption and fraudulent land allocations, with law enforcement agencies increasingly targeting property-related scams that have left many prospective homeowners counting heavy losses.

Sydney Chihombe arrested