Court evicts war veterans from plot

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TWO war veterans have been fined and evicted from a plot where they have been illegally residing, with the Gweru Magistrates’ Court ruling that the land belongs to a member of the Central Intelligence Organisation.

TWO war veterans have been fined and evicted from a plot where they have been illegally residing, with the Gweru Magistrates’ Court ruling that the land belongs to a member of the Central Intelligence Organisation.

IVAN NDLOVU OWN CORRESPONDENT

Mary Masiye (49) and Tobias Mushayabande (51), both war veterans, changed their plea to guilty when they appeared for the second time before magistrate Tendai Madanire for illegally settling on a plot that belongs to Bernard Takawira.

They were each sentenced to pay a fine of $100, failure to which they would serve a three-month jail term.

They were further instructed to vacate Takawira’s premises by Friday this week.

Madanire lamented the high number of similar cases that have been brought before the courts.

“This court has seen a lot of cases of this nature,” the magistrate said.

“Ensure that when land is allocated to you, you also have the necessary papers so that you do not come back to this court.”

Masiye and Mushayabande had said they would have moved by yesterday, adding that they were allocated an alternative piece of land by the Lands ministry.

The plot under dispute was Plot 3 lot 48 Wildbeest, Guinea Fowl in Gweru, with Masiye and Mushayabande initially arguing that they were allocated the plot by their Zanu PF district chairperson (name withheld).

Prosecutor Andrew Marimo told the court that on an unknown date in 2012, Masiye and Mushayabande settled on the plot belonging to Takawira.

The two allegedly built two huts on the plot and started farming there without a permit issued in terms of the Land Act.

Marimo said the State could produce evidence that Takawira was officially allocated the land on December 17 2009 under the Lands Act.