Serial Fraudster Pleads Guilty to 8 Counts Sells Fake Stands
Serial Fraudster Pleads Guilty to 8 Counts Sells Fake Stands
A Bulawayo man, Elliot Mharadze, admitted to swindling multiple victims by selling residential stands he did not own. Facing nine counts of fraud, Mharadze pleaded guilty to eight after overwhelming evidence was presented by the State, represented by prosecutor Siphiwe Mhlanga.
Appearing before Magistrate Joseph Mabeza, Mharadze was acquitted of one count but remains in custody awaiting sentencing on December 16, 2024. His defense attorney, Tinashe Runganga, could not counter the irrefutable evidence laid out in court.
The scam dated back to 2018, where Mharadze repeatedly misrepresented ownership of stands in Pelandaba West suburb. On August 24, 2018, he duped Tackler Gumbo into purchasing stand number 1235, claiming it was his. Weeks later, on October 8, he sold stand number 18002 under similar false pretenses.
The fraud spree continued with more victims, including Tafara Dube, who purchased stand number 83, and Butholezwe Dube, who was sold stand number 1209. Other buyers, such as Lingiwe Nkiwane and Mgcini Ndlovu, were similarly conned with fake property sales in 2018 and 2019.
In June 2019, Ruth Lunga also fell victim to Mharadze’s scam, purchasing yet another stand he falsely claimed to own.
The conman’s web of deceit unraveled as the court pieced together his fraudulent transactions, leaving Mharadze with little choice but to plead guilty. The case highlights the urgent need for vigilance in property transactions to protect potential buyers from such scams.
