By Ziyah News Reporter
The Douglas Mwonzora-led Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) finds itself embroiled in a legal scandal, as senior party officials were brought before the courts over allegations of a US$22,000 rental fraud.
This case has reopened discussions surrounding Mwonzora’s previous legal challenges in 2014.
MDC officials Chengetai Guta and Tapiwa Mashakada appeared before Harare magistrate Lisa Mutendereki to answer charges of defrauding local company Denmark Training Services. The allegations state that the officials duped the company into believing they could lease a property for which they had no ownership or control.
According to the State, the incident began in September 2023 when Denmark Training Services approached the MDC offices with the intention of leasing Stand 18168 in Belvedere. During the negotiations, Mashakada reportedly confirmed ownership of the property and struck a deal after allegedly receiving permission from party President Mwonzora. After signing a lease agreement, Denmark Training Services paid the sum of US$22,000.
However, the company soon discovered that they had mistakenly occupied land owned by Croco Holdings. When they attempted to commence developments, they were confronted by staff from Croco Holdings and ordered off the premises. Upon investigation, when the complainant confronted Guta and Mwonzora about the situation, they were directed to the correct stand, only to find it occupied as well.
Attempts to reclaim the leased property in May 2024 were further complicated when Guta allegedly blocked access and verbally canceled the lease agreement. Subsequent investigations revealed that the MDC’s original lease with the City of Harare had been canceled in August 2023, just a month before the fraudulent rental deal was struck.
City authorities have confirmed that the property in question legally belongs to the council, and as such, the MDC had no right to engage in any transactions related to it.
This current controversy recalls Mwonzora’s past legal troubles from 2014, where he was acquitted of two counts of theft of trust property connected to a failed property sale involving a former Nestlé Zimbabwe employee, Everson Dandadzi. The court had found that Mwonzora had no case to answer at the time.
Guta and Mashakada have been remanded out of custody as the legal proceedings continue, leaving many observers questioning the implications of this scandal for the leadership and integrity of the MDC.