Meet Spencer Mabeka, the land baron who sold land illegally, leaving Harare home owners in tears

This story revolves around a troubling situation in Harare, where many people have lost their homes due to illegal land sales.

Spencer Mabeka, along with his partner Lillian Chitanga, is accused of fraud for selling land plots without proper authority. They are directors of a company called Brickstone Builders and Contractors Private Limited. Reports suggest that they created fake documents to make their land sales appear legitimate.

The story began when these two individuals sold 52 residential plots in an area called Ridgeview. Each plot was sold for between US$25,000 and US$40,000. Many unsuspecting buyers invested their hard-earned money into these plots, believing they were making a sound investment for their future.

However, the City of Harare later discovered that the land was illegally occupied and lacked the necessary approvals for development. The council took action by demolishing the structures built on this land, leaving many families devastated. People who had invested their savings found themselves standing in front of rubble where their homes once stood.

The City of Harare stated that they had to act against these illegal structures to protect residents from exploitation by land barons like Mabeka and Chitanga. They emphasized that it was crucial to stop these criminals who mislead innocent buyers with forged documents.

Mabeka and Chitanga attempted to fight back against the demolitions by going to court. They claimed they were the legal owners of the land and presented documents that turned out to be fake. The court later revealed that these documents were not authentic, leading to further legal troubles for the accused.

The situation has raised serious questions about how land is managed in Zimbabwe. Many people are angry because they feel that the government is not doing enough to protect them from fraudsters. There are also concerns about whether powerful individuals are involved in these illegal activities.

Local Government Minister Daniel Garwe has distanced the government from the demolitions, stating that it was solely the decision of the City Council. He expressed sympathy for those affected but also stressed that people cannot build homes on land they do not own legally.

Garwe said, “We condemn that action… We have nothing to do with that.” He acknowledged that while everyone has a right to housing, it should not come at the expense of following the law.

Source: Link