The Livingstone City Council informed the Livingstone Magistrate Court that they had received correspondence from Zambia Police officers regarding an investigation into three plots within the city.
LCC legal assistant, Brown Banda, 32 of Highlands township, Livingstone was testifying before Livingstone magistrate Kahoyi Mushabatisaid that a letter was received, prompting the council to search through deeds and land registries to determine the ownership of plot number Liv 3099.
He said upon consultation with other departments within the council, it was observed that the plots under inquiry had been outside the jurisdiction of the LCC since 2012.
He said afterwards, the council responded to Zambia Police, directing them to contact the Ministry of Lands in Choma for further assistance.
He said the council's procedure involves making recommendations to the Ministry of Lands once applicants have completed interviews and submitted their applications along with recommendation letters.
And Ministry of Lands, Principal Land Registrar, Felix Alishonda, 49 of Chamba Valley, Lusaka said after receiving Zambia Police officers on May 4, 2023, who were investigating three properties.
He said he proceeded to access these properties within the system and discovered that they were under 99-year leases held by three different individuals.
He said these leases were duly signed by the Commissioner of Land on behalf of the President and the respective applicants.
And Southern Province Principal Land Officer, Principal Land Officer Musamai Masheka, 44 of Choma said that one piece of land cannot be issued to two individuals simultaneously, and it is only available in the system for allocation to applicants.
Mr Masheka clarified that individuals with title deeds are entitled to access their land without impediments.
He said furthermore, all land applications were submitted with site plans and relevant attachments by the council, which then forwarded them to the Ministry of Land for title recommendations
And This is a case where Israel Mushoke, Shah Jayendra Kumar Chihanganlal, and Lata Jehendra Shah are facing a series of charges related to alleged fraudulent activities and trespass incidents. Israel Mushoke, aged 54, and Shah Jayendra Kumar Chihanganlal, aged 65, both businessmen, have been accused of procuring the execution of documents by false pretenses.
The alleged offense took place between January 1, 2022, and June 30, 2022. The accused, along with unknown accomplices, are alleged to have used false pretenses and fraudulent representations to induce George Susiku Sindila, the Acting Lands Officer, to sign a document known as lease number Lt-37146 concerning Stand No. 3099 in Livingstone. In addition to the fraud charge, Mushoke and Chihanganlal are also facing charges of criminal trespass. They are accused of unlawfully entering the property of Vasanti Yogesh Chikhalya at Stand No. 2056 and the property of Patel Mohabhai Umashabhai at Stand No. 4416 in Livingstone between January 1, 2022, and June 30, 2022, with the intent to commit an offense. Lata Jehendra Shah, a 60-year-old businesswoman of Indian origin, is another person involved in these alleged activities. The trio is represented by Swizt Mweemba and associates.
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