Fake estate agents to be flushed out

Sat, 29 Jul 2017 12:53:24 +0000

By MUKOSELA KASALWE

THE Zambia Institute of Estate Agents has stepped up its efforts to rid the streets of criminal elements and has avised the public not to deal with fake agents.

ZIEA president Logan Nyasulu urged the public to report unscrupulous estate agents to the Police and the organisation or other relevant authorities.

He said it was unfortunate that innocent people had continued to be defrauded out of their money through dubious transactions perpetrated by fake estate agents.

In an interview yesterday, Mr. Nyasulu warned bogus agents to desist from engaging in illegal activities and promptly register with ZIEA so that they could undergo training and authenticate their practice.

He said this week alone, the Police had arrested three illegal estate agents in an operation aimed at cleansing the field.

“As an estate agent body we have stepped up our efforts to rid the streets of these criminal elements.

“We are sending a strong warning to fake estate agents and caution the public to desist from dealing with these bogus agents,” he said.

Mr. Nyasulu encouraged the public to report any suspicious estate agents to the Police or any relevant authority like themselves.

He said the public had a key role to play if such illegal activities were to be curbed.

Mr Nyasulu said the operation was based on a Memorandum of Understanding that recently signed with the Zambia Police and the National Prosecution Authority to streamline and fast-track the arrest and prosecution of illegal estate agents.

He said the three suspects would appear in court next week.