By staff reporter
A report by the country’s military intelligence on land distribution and corruption has named controversial Zanu PF activist Wellington Peyama of extorting money from desperate land seekers using his closeness to Local Government minister, July Moyo.
The report titled “who runs Harare land” authored by the MID for the central intelligence organization (CIO) and the police for further investigations, Peyama is accused of name dropping Moyo’s name to people seeking cheap state land in Harare.
“Mr Peyama along with his associates claim to have links to Hon Minister Cde J Moyo and have been taking money ranging from US$1 000 to US$10 000 per person for assistance to get state land. Some people are told to pay a deposit while others have paid full amounts with a hope that they will get the land,” read part of the report.
“For example, one Cde Muskwe claims to have paid US$4 000 to Cde Peyama to facilitate a meeting with Cde JG Moyo. After paying the money, the meeting never materialised,” the report alleged.
The military intelligence department further alleges that Peyama uses his association with one Rodrick Mlauzi, a South African based Zanu PF member to hoodwink desperate land seekers saying that he had strong links to Moyo.
“Mlauzi claims to be a relative of Moyo but in actual fact they are not related at all. They spend most of their time at Rainbow Hotel and this is where the money they would have extorted from people is spent at. Also they have two houses they rent in the city center in the Avenues area that they use as bases for meetings and debauchery”.
The report lists one Sibongile Mafu from Bulawayo to have been duped US$3500 by Peyama in the promise that he would assist her get state land in Chitugwiza for a nominal fee.
Zanu PF uses state land to buy votes and the military is worried that if the corrupt practices are not nipped in the bud, land developers and genuine investors would lose alot of money to fraudsters such as Peyama.
“Could your department investigate this matter and engage the minister and the said victims to bring this vice down. The minister must disassociate himself from such characters,” the report states.
Attempts to get a comment from Peyama were fruitless as he did not respond to questions sent to him while July Moyo said he had not seen the MID report hence he couldn’t comment.
“Yes I know Peyama and Mlauzi but the report you are quoting is new to me, I will need to have sight of it before I can comment on,” Moyo said.
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