Church founder sues Chief for $300 000

CHRIST Apostolic Church founder and leader Right Reverend Isaac Tititi Moyo has sued Chief Samambwa and his seven subjects for $300 000 over allegations of defamation after more than 500 resettled farmers from Sherwood in Kwekwe staged a peaceful demonstration at Vice-President Emmerson Mnangangwa's farm seeking his eviction.

In the summons seen by Sunday News dated 27 January, Rev Tititi Moyo claims that Chief Samambwa and his subjects made defamatory statements against him when they staged a demonstration against him and petitioned VP Mnangagwa, accusing him of sending his workers to brutalise and sometimes kill their livestock when they stray into his farm.

Rev Tititi Moyo filed the lawsuit at Harare High Court through his lawyers Mawere and Sibanda Legal Practitioners.

Chief Mapfumo Samambwa is being sued together with his subjects Averino Muzorori, Mutizirwa Mukaranga, Billy Musindo, Casias Shiri, Hikira Fukurai, Tichafa Chitate and Miriro Mazhura.

"The plaintiff is Isaac Tititi Moyo. The plaintiff has been damaged in his reputation as a cleric and community elder and has suffered damages to the amount of $300 000.

"The unwarranted reputation of the plaintiff is the sole cause of the proceedings which has caused the plaintiff unnecessary out of pocket expenses and must be compensated by an order of costs on the higher scale of legal practitioner and client," reads part of the High Court summons.

Rev Tititi Moyo claims that he was wrongly accused of brutalising and terrorising Sherwood resettled farmers by sending his employees to assault them and attack their livestock with machetes and axes.

"On Monday 22 December 2014, defendants jointly produced a document containing allegations of improper conduct by the plaintiff. The allegations were widely publicised to several Government Ministers and high ranking officials number to about 200 who were private guests of Vice-President (Mnangagwa). The News Day published a story on 27 December.

"The allegations were that the Plaintiff assaults fellow occupants of the area, axes their cattle when they stray into his farm, instructing the murder of Chitate . . . grabbing land," reads the summons.

Rev Tititi Moyo is being accused of attacking livestock belonging to villagers from village 12 and 13 in Sherwood resettlement farms that would have strayed into his farm.

The villagers alleged that Rev Tititi Moyo's farm workers killed about 10 cattle that had strayed into his farm while over 30 were struck by axes and machetes.

On Tuesday more than 500 villagers staged a peaceful demonstration at Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa's farm, which is next to Rev Tititi Moyo's, petitioning him seeking his eviction.

"We have lost over 10 cattle after they were struck with axes and machetes by Rev Tititi Moyo's farm workers. Over 30 cattle sustained different injuries after they were attacked by the employees.

"Our cattle stray into his farm looking for water because there is a canal which flows from Munyati River. We have petitioned VP Mnangagwa so that the matter would be resolved amicably," said Ward 12 village-head Ms Jane Mubata.

Another villager, Glades Magwa, whose 10 cattle were seriously injured after allegedly being struck by machetes by Rev Tititi Moyo's workers  said they reported the matter to the police but no action has been taken.