HARARE - Zodwa Matore, Better Homes Real Estate managing director, has been hauled before the courts for swindling her clients of more than $89 000 through the unauthorised sale of stands.
Matore, 42, appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei facing an $89 350 fraud charge.
Matore was remanded to December 9 on $200 bail.
As part of her bail conditions, she was ordered to reside at her given address, report once every Friday at Westlea Police Station and surrender travel documents.
Prosecutor Sharon Mashavira alleged that on May 1 this year, Better Homes Real Estate misrepresented to Tapiwa Tarugarira that Matore was mandated to sell stand number 3333 Trafalger Noton by its owners for $5 300.
Between May and July 27, Tarugarira allegedly paid $5 300 for the stand.
It is the state’s case that Tarugarira later discovered that Better Homes Real Estate was not authorised to sell the stand and that Matore had lied to him.
The court heard neither Matore nor her company remitted the money to the rightful owners nor returned it to Tarugarira.
She allegedly lost $3 000 and nothing was recovered.
On July 22, 2011 Matore misrepresented to Magret Zuka Mubaiwa that her company was authorised to sell stand number 296 Charlote Brooke, Harare.
She allegedly paid $6 350 for the stand and later discovered, through the rightful owners, that Matore had duped her.
The court heard on May 1 this year, Matore and her company sold stand No. 17335 Damofalls Ruwa for $5 700 under the instruction of the rightful owner Fungai Simelo.
They allegedly converted the money to their own use.
It is further alleged that between April 29 2011 and May 24 this year, Matore sold a Mabelreign residential stand to Lorraine Jena for $72 000.
Jena paid the money and also realised, through the stand’s rightful owners, that Matore had not been authorised to sell the stand to her.