A Zanu PF Bulawayo councillor has been languishing in prison for nearly a month for defying a court order to vacate a farmhouse in Matabeleland North's Umguza district.
Ward 1 councillor, Josiah Mutangi, was jailed last month after a civil warrant of arrest was issued against him.
Mutangi defied numerous court orders to vacate a farmhouse at Imbesu farm, which belongs to Zephaniah Matiwaza.
The councillor, who had previously boasted of strong political connections, had been illegally occupying the property since July 2022 without paying rent despite several legal rulings against him and multiple eviction attempts.
Southern Eye heard that Mutangi has since reached out to Matiwaza to secure his release from prison.
According to a draft deed of settlement seen by Southern Eye, Mutangi has already filed a court application seeking an extension of time to pay and a stay of execution of the civil imprisonment order granted under case number CG554/22 on March 26, 2025.
Under the terms of the agreement, he is required to pay Matiwaza US$1,000 upon signing the deed of settlement.
He must also settle the full judgment debt, legal costs, and execution fees by December 2025.
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“The above payments shall be made through the first respondent’s legal practitioners, Messrs Ndlovu Mehluli and Partners,” the deed states.
In the event of a breach, Matiwaza will be entitled to execute the court orders under case CG554/22 without opposition after giving seven days' notice to Mutangi to rectify the breach.
Matiwaza initially secured a court order on November 8, 2022, which nullified Mutangi’s lease, demanded unpaid rent, and authorized eviction and legal cost recovery.
Despite the ruling, Mutangi reportedly returned to the farmhouse on three separate occasions after being removed by authorities.
Matiwaza confirmed the new arrangement in an interview:
“My lawyers are working on that,” he told Southern Eye.
“I have been receiving a lot of pleas from Mutangi and his wife asking me to facilitate his release.”
Meanwhile, Mutangi is also facing criminal charges.
About two weeks ago, he and his alleged accomplice, Janet Zhou, appeared in court to face allegations of defrauding 14 vendors.
The two allegedly collected US$200 from each vendor under the pretence of allocating vending bays in the central business district.
