Villagers in court for invading State farm
02/07/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
A GROUP of nine villagers have appeared in court charged with illegally
invading a State-owned farm in Umzingwane District and wreaking havoc on the
property as they allocated themselves farming plots and housing stands.
The nine villagers, from Mbalabala farming area appeared before Esigodini
magistrate Lungile Ncube on Tuesday after they tried to take over Mziki farm
without following laid down procedures.
They however pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody to Wednesday.
Prosecutor Eric Murinye said the villagers invaded the farm at the start of
last month and proceeded to allocate themselves plots, in the process
cutting down trees and burning vegetation as they prepared to build their
homes.
The court heard that the farm had in fact been allocated to the 35-member
Phambililokuthula Cooperative under the government’s land reform programme.
The case was reported to the police at the end of last month leading the
arrest of the nine villagers.