Beatrice land row sucks in Chombo
Lovemore Meya Court Reporter
Twenty-nine Beatrice families accused of occupying Subdivision 1 of Breamer Farm reportedly owned by former Harare regional magistrate Mr Peter Mufunda want Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Minister Dr Ignatius Chombo to testify on their behalf.
Mr Mufunda is now working as a legal advisor in the Ministry of Energy and Power Development.
Brighton Gumbire, who is jointly charged with 28 other occupiers, on Tuesday told Chitungwiza resident magistrate Mr Donald Ndirowei that only Minister Chombo could exonerate them.
They claim that the land does not belong to Mr Mufunda and that Minister Chombo has the final say on whether it is gazetted property or not.
In their letter dated August 28 2014 submitted to the court, the 29 claim that they have been staying at the farm since 2000 after chasing away the owner, a white farmer only identified as Mr Duward.
“We stayed there as peri-urban farmers, each one entitled to two and half hectares pegged by Arex officials. The provincial administrator and the late Cde David Karimanzira urged us to stay waiting for urban expansion.
“To our surprise, someone, after the elections, by the name Peter Mufunda, came with an A2 offer letter claiming that he was the owner of the land using the offer letter dated July 29, 2013 when the Government was not operational,” reads part of the letter.
Gumbire and his co-accused denied contravening Section 3 (2) of the Gazetted Land (Consequential Provisions) Chapter 20:20, “Occupation of land without lawful authority”.
Magistrate Ndirowei remanded them out of custody to September 30 for their defence case.
Prosecutor Mr Edmond Ndambakuwa alleges that the 29 illegally occupied the farm after failing to produce an offer letter, something Mr Mufunda has done to substantiate his claims.
They reportedly stormed the farm owned by Mr Mufunda in the period extending from July last year to date.
In this regard, Mr Mufunda is seeking the court’s help to have them removed from his premises.