A BULAWAYO woman is failing to access a house she bought in 1998 after a suspected fraudster disappeared after receiving payment for the property.
Viola Manyuka is ruing the day she entered into an agreement of sale with Julius Sibanda for a four-roomed house which was then valued at US$75 000.
In an interview with NewsDay, Manyuka said she fulfilled her part of the contract but Sibanda was evasive for the past 25 years. He allegedly refused to go to the housing office to change ownership of the house.
She said she entered into the agreement with Sibanda for the purchase of the property at Number 30161 in Entumbane, Bulawayo in 1998.
“I bought a house from Sibanda in Entumbane in 1998, till today the house has not been handed over to me. I tried to engage lawyers and paid some of the money which was required but my efforts proved ineffective,” Manyuka said.
“In our agreement, we agreed that I will occupy the house after completing paying for it. After I finished paying for the house, he became evasive avoiding handing over the house to me. We tried to look for him and we were told that he left for South Africa till today.”
Manyuka said she made part of the payment for the house through legal practitioners Editor Ngwenya and Partners who promised to facilitate transfer of ownership upon completing payment.
“After paying the remaining balance through the lawyer, he closed our case and he did not help. I tried to forcibly occupy the house but I received threats from his relatives saying he has a gun. I went to the housing office and I found out that the house was under his wife’s name,” she said.
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According to the receipts Manyuka showed to NewsDay, she paid the balance in three batches through the law firm between 1999 and 2000.
A letter dated January 4, 1999 from the Consumer Council of Zimbabwe signed by Bulawayo regional officer one AK Pedzisa, summoned Sibanda to no avail.
“This office has received a complaint from Manyuka alleging that you entered into a willing-seller and willing-buyer agreement.
“You received US$50 000 towards the purchase price of a property which is built on Stand Number 30161 Entumbane. Since you have received the said amount you have failed to let the buyer take possession of that property, we are therefore requesting you to call our offices and see the undersigned on January 6, 1999 at 8.30am,” part of the letter read.
Efforts to locate Sibanda and his wife for comment for the past week were fruitless.
