An 80-year-old grandpa con-artist

An 80-year-old grandpa has been accused of manufacturing documents for a residential stand and national identification cards for the real owner of the stand before selling it to an unsuspecting home seeker.

Xavero Dzinowanda, of Jaure Village in Seke, is alleged to have duped Tinashe Flex Kembo of US$23 000 after selling him the stand located in Bluffhill which belongs to Wilson Jawona of Mt Darwin.

Dzinowanda denied the allegations when he appeared before magistrate Vongai Guriro.

“I never sold a stand to anyone. I only met the complainant in Kwekwe where I had gone to receive donor monies.

An 80-year-old grandpa con-artist

“I got US$7 000 but it was not from the sale of the house,” he said.

Jawona told the court that he was surprised to receive a call from the police telling him that his stand was sold.

“Sometime in December, I received a call from the police saying my stand had not been properly sold.

“I told them that I had never sold any stand and I never send anyone to sell the stand on my behalf,” he said.

Jawona also begged the court to help him clear his name which he said was tarnished by Dzinowanda after using it to commit the offence.

“I don’t know if the court can assist in clearing my name which has been tarnished by this man.

“He has been using my ID and name in committing the crime. I have children who are here in Harare and it had since affected my social standing,” he said.

Prosecutor Progress Maringamoyo had it that sometime in June last year Dzinowanda placed an advert in a local newspaper saying he was selling a stand in Bluffhill.

The advert was reportedly placed under Wilson Jowana’s name.

Kembo is said to have responded to the advert and later hooked up with Dzinowanda to undertake the purchase.

They are said to have agreed to have a deed search which also proved that the stand was properly registered.

An agreement of sale was drafted and Kembo paid US$23 000 from three installments through his lawyers’ trust account, according to the State.

Prosecutor Maringamoyo had it that on June 27 2015 Kembo and his wife went to Kwekwe where they met Dzinowanda and gave him US$7 000.

Dzinowanda is said to have handed Kembo title deeds for the stand in question.

On August 19, Kembo and Dzinowanda reportedly went to ZIMRA for an interview.

It later emerged that Dzinowanda was not the owner of the stand leading to his arrest.