MUTARE- A group of villagers relocated from Chiadzwa and resettled at Arda Transau Farm in Odzi appeared before Mutare magistrate Tamara Chibindi charged with malicious damage to property after they forcibly moved illegal settlers who had occupied their grazing land.
The villagers Charles Mauchaza (49), Simbarashe Mapara (32), Valentine Machodo (19), Ndarerwa Mwanditani (40), Tanaka Machodo (18), Obert Nyazika (45), Goodmore Muzvidzwa (42), Prosper Kobi (22), Forgiveness Machodo (22), Carlos Tande (30), Perkins Manjese, Tinashe Mapara (25), Tinashe Takodzwa (22) are being accused of running amok and setting on fire fellow villagers property following a dispute over their grazing land.
One of the complainant, Victor Maponde (30) residing village 6 Arda Transau told the court that on 11 January 2021 at around 7am, the accused persons connived together and proceeded to the complainant’ s homestead armed with machetes, axe, catapults and logs.
Upon seeing the accused persons approaching the Maponde tried to run away but he was chased and was caught before escaping. The accused person forced marched Maponde to his homestead.
They told him to remove property in his house and they set the complainant’s house on fire and burnt part of his property valued at ZWL$ 50 000.
Another complainant, Tinashe Ndowa told the court that the accused persons went to his house and accused him of stealing plough belonging to one of the accused persons Charles Mauchaza.
They told him to remove his property but he refused before they proceeded to smash his television set and broke it into pieces.
The third complainant, Tendai Nyangani told the court that the accused persons ordered him to remove his property alleging that he illegally settled himself in their grazing area.
Nyangani told the court that lost property worth thousands of dollars.
The fourth complainant, Adam Sibiya said the accused persons acted in connivance and set his house on fire accusing him of illegally settling himself on their grazing area.
Through their lawyer, Brian Majamanda the villagers applied for bail and Magistrate Chibindi is expected to make a ruling on their freedom bid.
