District administrator fined for assaulting a disabled farmer

A 60-year-old district administrator has been fined $80 or 30 days in prison for assaulting a disabled farmer in a longstanding farm wrangle that has been taken to the Constitutional Court (Concourt).

Masvingo magistrate Oliver Mudzongachiso convicted  Mwenezi DA Stanely Chamisa on his own plea of guilty last Friday for assaulting double-amputee William Stander in the presence of two police constables at his farm on October 27 last year.

Prosecutor Joseph Nyamapfeni told the court that Chamisa and his son Watson (27) drove to Stander's Benjani Ranch with two police constables.

The four met Stander at the gate of his farm and ordered him to return to his house, but he refused. Chamisa assaulted Stander, who sustained injuries on the neck and arm, and had to be treated at Masvingo General Hospital. The State also said Chamisa picked up a stone intending to smash Stander's car, but was restrained by the two cops.

Stander reported the matter at the Mwenezi Police Station, leading to Chamisa's arrest.

His son Watson was acquitted due to lack of incriminating evidence. Stander has also approached the Civil Court (case number INT 93/13) seeking a peace order against Chamisa and his son saying they want to evict him from his farmhouse.

The farmer has also dragged Chamisa and his son to the Concourt for grabbing his farm, arguing that evicting him from the farm would be depriving him of his only home and source of livelihood as a disabled person and this infringed on his rights and contradicts Section 83 of the country's Constitution.