HARARE - A Harare magistrate has dismissed an aspiring Zanu PF MP, Justice Zvandasara’s application for discharge.

Zvandasara is accused of being behind a $4 million fraud scam after he allegedly sold 820 housing stands.

He is jointly charged with Blessing Sigaretta and Tichaona Suruware.

Magistrate Themba Kuwanda yesterday ruled that Zvandasara and his accomplices have a case to answer.

The court heard that during the land re-distribution exercise, former Harare North legislator Nyasha Chikwinya was allocated 84 000 hectares of land near Hatcliffe, Harare.

Chikwinya started servicing the land, subdivided it into low, medium and high density residential stands and sold them to her clients, the court heard.

Misheck Mangwende, the leader of Harare North co-operatives, engaged Chikwinya for acquisition of stands on the said piece of land.

Zvandasara allegedly assumed leadership of Harare North Housing Co-operative Union and imposed Sigaretta as the treasurer and Suruware as the security man responsible for driving away lawful occupiers.

State alleges Zvandasara misrepresented to the co-operative’s leadership that he had lawfully acquired the same piece of land.

Zvandasara, it is alleged, stopped co-operatives from negotiating with Chikwinya and instructed all payments to be channelled to the union where he had assumed leadership.

He sold 496 stands to home seekers through the occupation of the stands while Suruware drove away lawful owners with the assistance of some youths. - Ivan Zhakata