A 46-year-old woman from Harare, Betty Makura, has been sentenced to four years in prison for defrauding a local company director of $40,000 in a fraudulent land deal. Harare Magistrate Rufaro Panavanhu delivered the verdict, suspending one year of the sentence on the condition that Makura fully reimburses the victim.
The case, which garnered widespread attention, began in August 2019 when Makura posted an advertisement offering residential stands for sale in Greendale, Harare. The complainant, Matina Mafara, who was living and working in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the time, became interested in the offer and traveled to Zimbabwe to finalize the transaction. He enlisted the help of his agent, Revai Hamadziripi, to assist with the purchase.
In December 2019, Mafara met Makura and paid her $40,000 for the residential stand. However, the scam was exposed in January 2020 when Hamadziripi discovered that the title deed provided by Makura was fraudulent.
Makura’s sentencing serves as a cautionary tale for those involved in real estate deals, emphasizing the importance of conducting proper due diligence to avoid falling victim to similar schemes. In addition to her prison term, Makura is required to repay the $40,000 to Mafara, highlighting the legal system’s commitment to compensating fraud victims.
