Man arrested for cyberbullying his former landlord who refused to refund his security deposit

A Zimbabwean man, Martin Mtandi, has been arrested for cyberbullying after launching a defamatory social media campaign against his former landlord, McDonald Togara.

The conflict stemmed from a disagreement over the reimbursement of a deposit for an apartment.

The dispute began when Mtandi informed Togara on October 17 of his intention to vacate the property at Sentosa Gardens, Mabelreign, Harare, citing the need for a larger space for his growing family.

 In a message, Mtandi said:

“Just wanted to let you know that I’ll be moving out at the end of this month. Family is growing, and the wife requested a bigger apartment. Let me know how I can help to make this transition as smooth as possible.”

Togara, however, refused to reimburse the security deposit, arguing that Mtandi had given short notice, leaving him unable to find a tenant for November. Togara explained that the deposit would cover the loss of rental income and potential damages, stating:

“That particular flat is mine and check our lease. It was a short notice, and the whole of November I could not get a tenant. So, because of that short notice, I am not able to give you your deposit back as it covers for rental loss and the short notice, not even mentioning the damages.” He suggested that the matter be handled through legal channels.

Unhappy with this response, Mtandi took to social media, posting damaging claims about Togara on the Facebook page “Name & Shame Them (Zim).” In one post, he accused Togara of inflating repair costs to withhold tenant deposits, alleging:

“We now have Pam Golding Properties Zimbabwe agents taking advantage of tenants. One of their agents, McDonald Togara, has a record of inflating repair costs so that he can pocket the money. He has denied paying out Sentosa Gardens tenants their deposit when they move out, and this has been happening for a while now.”

Togara reported the posts, which were later found to be baseless, to the authorities. He cited reputational damage and harassment caused by the false allegations. Despite Mtandi deleting some posts and seeking forgiveness, Togara proceeded with legal action.

Mtandi was arrested and is now facing charges of cyberbullying and defamation, highlighting the legal consequences of online harassment.