The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has confirmed the arrest of a Harare man on three counts of fraud and two counts of forgery linked to the alleged illegal sale of City of Harare residential stands.
In a statement issued on Monday, 3 August 2026, ZACC said Gerald Mangwiro was arrested for allegedly defrauding desperate home seekers of US$4,580 by producing fake Council documents and misrepresenting himself as an agent of the City of Harare.
According to the commission, between August 2023 and July 2026, Mangwiro allegedly misrepresented to Rongedzai Kutsapede that he could assist him to purchase a residential stand from the City of Harare.
It is alleged that he produced fake layout plans and offer letters and then directed the complainant to deposit US$2,370 into a personal bank account which he falsely claimed belonged to the local authority.
ZACC said that between May and July 2026, the accused allegedly targeted the same complainant again, deceiving him into paying a further US$1,130 for another residential stand, despite knowing he had no authority to sell stands on behalf of the City.
On that occasion, he allegedly claimed the money was for group contributions, City of Harare waiting list fees and interview fees.
On the third count, Mangwiro is alleged to have defrauded another home seeker, Kingstone Reza, of US$1,080 after promising to facilitate the allocation of a genuine Council stand and demanding payment for the stand and interview fees.
To conceal the alleged fraud, ZACC said Mangwiro forged two City of Harare offer letters for Kutsapede and Reza. The letters were allegedly printed on Council letterhead, signed using the name of the Director of Housing and Community Services and affixed with fake City of Harare date stamps to make them appear authentic.
In total, the unsuspecting home seekers suffered a prejudice of US$4,580.
Mangwiro has since appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court and was remanded to 28 August 2026 on US$200 bail.
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