When evil occupied Dr. Mutumbuka’s house

The images were gut-wrenching—doors ripped from their frames, tiles damaged, and the house stripped to an uninhabitable shell.

What was once a $600,000 mansion, a symbol of comfort and security, had been reduced to ruins with damages estimated at $70,000.

This barbaric vandalism, reportedly carried out by Harrison Marange and his wife, Demetria Zirenga, as they vacated the premises under a High Court eviction order, defies all logic and decency.

It is a heartless act, steeped in vindictiveness, and one that leaves a sour taste in the mouth of anyone with a semblance of humanity.

The sheer wantonness of their actions leaves one struggling to comprehend the evil that can consume human beings.

How does someone maliciously destroy another person’s property, knowing full well the house was fraudulently acquired in the first place?

To directly receive articles from Tendai Ruben Mbofana, please join his WhatsApp Channel on: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaqprWCIyPtRnKpkHe08 

This was no ordinary house—it belonged to a man of impeccable repute, Zimbabwe’s first Minister of Education, a celebrated intellectual, and a patriot who served the nation with distinction.

I have had the privilege of knowing Dr. Mutumbuka for the past three to four years, and during this time, we have formed a close friendship.

To witness this gross violation of his property and the pain it has caused him is both infuriating and heartbreaking.

Dr. Mutumbuka, who works abroad and sits on prestigious boards like UNESCO and Harvard, is a man of integrity and intellect.

His life’s work has been about building up, not tearing down.

Yet, he has become a victim of greed, fraud, and vindictiveness.

The origins of this tragedy lie in a fraudulent scheme involving one Jonah Ngome, who manipulated the Deeds Office in Harare to steal Dr. Mutumbuka’s title deed.

Ngome, with the help of Lynna Mlambo, a supervisor at the Deeds Office, and her boyfriend, Tatenda ‘Shaft’ Wakatama, forged the title deed and sold the house to Marange and Zirenga for a meager $140,000.

This fraudulent transaction, facilitated by lawyer Kenias Mutyasira, was a clear act of criminality, yet Ngome remains at large, and no arrests have been made.

What makes this situation even more appalling is the role of the judiciary.

Dr. Mutumbuka was evicted from his home in September 2023 through a questionable order issued by disgraced High Court Judge Webster Chinamhora, who later resigned amid allegations of misconduct.

The eviction order was based on forged documents and a fraudulent claim of ownership by Marange and Zirenga.

Fortunately, justice prevailed when another High Court judge, Justice Priscila Munangati-Manongwa, ruled in November 2024 that the house legitimately belonged to Dr. Mutumbuka.

The judge exposed the fraudulent nature of Ngome’s title deed, describing it as lacking essential stamps, dates, and mortgage records.

The Registrar of Deeds also confirmed that the document was fake.

Despite this clear verdict, Marange and Zirenga shamelessly attempted to appeal the decision to a higher court, delaying the inevitable and prolonging the anguish of Dr. Mutumbuka and his family.

Their reluctance to vacate the house was most revealing; they were not a happy couple at all.

When the eviction order was finally enforced, and the Sheriff escorted Marange and his family off the property, the house was intact.

However, when Dr. Mutumbuka’s relatives went to prepare the residence for reoccupation, they found an uninhabitable wreck.

The doors, door frames, window frames, gate motor, electric fence, swimming pool pump, and even the kitchen sinks were vandalized or removed.

The calculated nature of this destruction suggests a level of malice that is difficult to comprehend.

In my view, these actions were not the spontaneous result of anger or frustration but a deliberate attempt to inflict maximum pain on Dr. Mutumbuka.

What could drive a person to such cold-heartedness?

What kind of mindset rationalizes destroying another’s hard-earned property out of bitterness?

It is disheartening to note that this is not an isolated incident.

Property disputes in Zimbabwe have become a playground for fraudsters and corrupt officials.

The Deeds Office, an institution meant to protect property owners, has been infiltrated by individuals who abuse their positions for personal gain.

The fact that Lynna Mlambo could remove Dr. Mutumbuka’s title deed and hand it over to her boyfriend for forgery exposes the rot within our public institutions.

Moreover, the judiciary’s role in this saga raises serious questions.

How could a judge like Webster Chinamhora issue an eviction order on the rightful occupants based on such glaringly fraudulent documents?

How many other innocent property owners have suffered similar fates because of corrupt or incompetent judicial officers?

The failure to hold the perpetrators accountable is a slap in the face of justice.

Ngome, the mastermind behind this fraud, has not been arrested.

Mlambo and Wakatama, who facilitated the forgery, are yet to be convicted.

Even Marange and Zirenga, who are suspected to have carried out the vandalism, have yet to face the full force of the law.

This lack of accountability emboldens criminals and perpetuates a culture of impunity.

If someone as distinguished as Dr. Mutumbuka can fall victim to such heinous acts, what hope is there for the ordinary citizen?

How many more families will lose their homes and suffer untold anguish before our systems are fixed?

As I reflect on this tragedy, I am reminded of the words of Edmund Burke: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

It is not enough to express outrage or sympathy; we must demand action.

The perpetrators of this fraud and vandalism must be brought to justice.

The Deeds Office must be reformed to ensure that such fraudulent activities are impossible in the future.

Judges and lawyers who enable these crimes must be held accountable for their actions.

At its core, this is not just a story about one man’s loss.

It is a stark reminder of the fragility of property rights in Zimbabwe and the lengths to which some people will go to satisfy their greed.

It is a call to action for all of us to stand up against injustice and to demand better from our institutions.

The evil that occupied Dr. Mutumbuka’s house may have left, but its scars remain.

These are not just physical scars on a once-beautiful mansion but emotional scars on a man who has given so much to his country.

Let us not allow this evil to prevail.

Let us ensure that justice is done, not just for Dr. Mutumbuka but for all who have suffered similar injustices.

• Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/