CHIVHU – The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has intervened in a case involving the unlawful seizure of private land by Chikomba Rural District Council (RDC) from five Chivhu residents.
Five Ferreraton Commonage residents, with help from Chivhu Residents and Ratepayers Alliance (CHRRA) took up their case with ZLHR after the RDC seized their agricultural land and earmarked it for Chivhu local development plan.
In April, the RDC tried to justify the seizure saying it could not allow the land to be used for A1 farming activities when it could be incorporated into the small town’s expansion programme.
The residents said they have title deeds for the land in Ferreraton Commonage, Swaartfontein Farm, which they claim has been theirs since 1983.
ZLHR has now written to the RDC requesting explanation on council exercise of reallocating the land at the farm.
“The change of use and reallocation of our clients’ land has induced a sense of shock in our clients as they were never informed of these developments, in violation of Section 68 of the constitution of Zimbabwe which gives every citizen the right to administrative justice,” reads part of the letter.
The rights lobby group also demands that Section 71 of the Constitution, which deals with citizens’ right to hold property, should be respected.
When contacted for comment, Chikomba RDC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Luckson Mutara said he was on sick leave and could not comment on issues that have to do with his office.
CHRRA chairperson Collen Zvarevashe said the association represents the people and was determined to stand for justice.
He also said CHRRA will always stand for the rights of the five residents whom it said should be allowed to take back possession of their land as they have title deeds for it.local

Lawrence Mandava

MASVINGO – Tapiwa Manyuchi (23) was recently slapped with a 10 year jail sentence by Masvingo magistrate Dambudzo Malunga for stealing Nelson Chaurura’s car and cell phone.
This was after he was found guilty of contravening the law as defined in Section 113 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act for stealing the car, a Toyota Noah Liteace (reg number ADH 0109 and the smartphone, a Nokia Android S8 Mini Kagoo.
Appearing for the State, Shamiso Masokovere told the court that on July 06, 2017 around 19: 00 hrs, Chaurura left his car parked behind his shop at Stand Number 8 Mushagashe business centre and forgot the keys on the shelf of the shop counter.
The complainant’s brother-in-law then took the car keys from the shop and went to the vehicle where he connected his phone on car charger and left the car unlocked and the key on the ignition.
Manyuchi, who was close by, noticed that the car was unsecured and gained entry using the passenger’s door and drove off towards Masvingo town.
Chaurura, with the company of his brother-in-law, got into another car and followed Manyuchi whom they found at Gokomere Mission where he was picking up passengers.
Manyuchi, however, managed to escape and drove off at a fast speed towards Masvingo town and they failed to catch up with him.
The theft victim reported the matter to Masvingo police and a docket was opened but the stolen car was later found parked at Sisk business centre its third registration number, certificate of insurance and licencing disk removed.
Police detectives later arrested the suspect at a house in Josiah Gondo Street in Mucheke A and the missing car documents were recovered in the suspect’s trousers.local

MASVINGO – Runaway leopards whose origins are still to be confirmed, are terrorising the Mushawasha east farming community where they are attacking both people and their livestock.
Nyasha Mushonga of Farm No 332 told TellZim News in an interview that it is believed the runaway leopard population exceeded 50 in number.
He said the most affected areas were Makoho, Nyadzamba, Masarasara and the neighbouring communal lands of Maziofa.
“So far, a number of farmers have lost their livestock to the marauding leopards. These include cattle, goats, and sheep. Affected farmers include Tadiwa Madhume, Partson Dhuve and Charles Mandebvu of Farm No’s 261, 300 and 301 respectively, he said.
Mushonga added that Seni Chidzingo, another farmer in the community, was recovering from wounds sustained after he was attacked by a leopard.
“Chidzingo set a trap after one of his cattle was killed by leopards. When he went to check on the trap he was attacked and had to be rescued by other farmers who were at a beer drink nearby.
“He nearly lost his hand and his palm was severely mauled. He is now recovering from the wounds at home,” Mushonga said.
Another community member John Mudzanire said the menace of the leopards had been reported to parks officials who were still to attend to the scene.
No comment was immediately available from Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (Zimparks).local

Nashe Mahachi

MUTARE – An Odzi man who was found guilty of assaulting a police offcer was last week slapped with a 12 months jail term.
Charles Muparutsa (24) was convicted on his own guilty plea when he appeared before Mutare magistrate Innocent Bepura.
Muparutsa told the court that he was drunk when he committed the offense and was not aware that the complainant was a police officer although he was dressed in his police uniform.
The cop was left bleeding from the attack after he tried stopping Muparutsa from fighting with his friend at a bottle store at Nyamatsine business centre.
In passing the sentence, Bepura said the law does not condone Muparutsa’s behavior and that he deserved a stiff custodial sentence which would act as a deterrent to other would be offenders.
However, four months of the sentence were set aside on condition of good behavior leaving him to serve an effective eight months jail term.
Public prosecutor Fletcher Karombe represented the State.local