A 74-year-old Gweru man, Mugeza Hove, has been sent to prison after failing to pay back US$85,000 in restitution for selling residential stands he did not own. The latest ruling activates his original sentence of 30 months, which had been suspended on condition he paid back the money to River Valley Properties by February 27, 2025.
Hove, of Hertfordshire suburb in Gweru, was initially convicted in January for illegally selling stands belonging to River Valley Properties (RVP) through a company he used as an agent—Otichmar Investments. The stands were part of a government commonage scheme following the compulsory acquisition of his late brother’s farm for urban housing development.
The court had shown leniency by suspending part of Hove’s sentence and ordering community service, on the condition that he reimbursed the full US$85,000. However, he neither paid the restitution nor sought an extension, leading to his rearrest and immediate incarceration.
Appearing before Zvishavane magistrate Tavengwa Sangster, Hove was told the reprieve no longer stood, and he would serve the full 30-month sentence behind bars.
Meanwhile, legal proceedings are underway to compel Otichmar Investments to also pay back its share of the restitution. A warrant of execution is being issued against the company.
This case is the latest twist in a long-running land dispute dating back several years. The High Court previously blocked efforts by Hove and Harare-based lawyer Thomas Militao to evict stand beneficiaries from Hertfordshire Farm using a questionable default judgment. The court found the writ Militao tried to enforce was invalid, and River Valley Properties—represented by Advocate Lewis Uriri—was cleared to continue developing the land.
The property company has been working under the Mahlaba Housing Programme to service urban stands in line with the government’s housing agenda. The conviction and jailing of Hove mark a significant victory for River Valley Properties in a dispute that has stretched nearly a decade.
