MARTIN MAWAYA
GWERU-River Valley Group has won its legal battle against Mugeza Hove, who stole and sold the company’s residential stands to unsuspecting clients.
Hove (74) sold the stands for between USD9,000 and USD10,000, despite benefiting from some stands under the government commonage facility when his deceased brother’s farm was repossessed for urban expansion.
He was sentenced to five years in prison by Zvishavane Regional Magistrate Sengster Tavengwa.
Magistrate Tavengwa noted that Mugeza is an elderly man and suspended 12 months on the condition of good behavior.
Another 18 months were suspended on the condition that Mugeza performs 630 hours of community service at Thornhill Airbase.
The remaining 30 months were suspended on the condition that he restitutes USD 85,000 to River Valley Properties by February 27.
The court heard that Mugeza appointed Otichmar Investments, which then began selling River Valley Properties without the company’s consent.
 Otichmar Investments’ owner, Orapen Chikoore, and his company were also convicted of theft and fined USD2,000 to be paid by January 31 to the clerk of court.
Prosecuting, Vivian Chindedza told the court that in 2017, Mugeza engaged Otichmar Investments to sell his commonage stands in the Hertfordshire Leaf suburbs.
He provided Otichmar with a list of stands to sell, but some of these belonged to River Valley Properties.
The court heard that River Valley Group later realized that Mugeza was selling some of its stands and reported him to the police, leading to his arrest.
