HARARE - Flamboyant businessman and struggling musician Energy Mutodi faces arrest for allegedly swindling over 200 desperate home seekers.

The former geography teacher-cum-businessman operates Zimbabwe Housing Trust (Zim-Trust) involved in housing development.

He is now being accused of “stealing” from desperate home-seekers, most of whom are poorly paid civil servants. He denies the charge.

Some of his disgruntled customers have reported him to the commercial crime unit at Harare Central Police Station under initial report number IR120486.

Zim-Trust was selling 250 residential stands in Tynwald South but only 43 customers were allocated their stands.

Mutodi, who has beef with other local music stars for using his wealth to snatch their backing artists, is alleged to have cheated potential home seekers out of $200 000.

Mutodi is not taking the arrest threat seriously, saying anyone pushing for his arrest is day-dreaming.

“Those people failed to own up to their contractual obligations. They failed to pay their monthly contribution and we had no choice but to ask them to leave. We are in the process of refunding them but unfortunately some of them are becoming violent,” Mutodi said.

According to information given to police officers, Mutodi has now deserted his offices in a move seen by customers as dodgy.

He, however, says he was forced to abandon the offices after some customers went berserk and attacked an accounting officer. - Xolisani ncube