News / National
Soldiers burnt down homesteads of 22 villagers
17 Jun 2015 at 07:16hrs | Views
SOME soldiers allegedly burnt down homesteads of 22 Masvingo villagers and destroyed their crops last week in an operation to drive them away from a farm parcelled out during the land reform programme.
The villagers, from Chomufuli Farm in Gutu, yesterday had to seek the intervention of the courts to stop the soldiers from 4:2 Infantry Battalion army barracks at Mpandawana Growth Point from terrorising them.
In their application at the Gutu Magistrates' Court, the villagers want Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi compelled to stop the attacks by the soldiers.
The villagers want the soldiers blocked from destroying their homes, harassing or threatening them with violence.
Sekeramayi is the first respondent, while the unnamed commander of 4.2 Infantry Batallion is the second respondent.
The case is set to be heard today by Gutu resident magistrate Edwin Marecha.
Prior to the court application, the villagers - who were beneficiaries of the fast-track land reform programme in 2002 - petitioned the district lands officer, claiming the soldiers wanted to grab their plots.
The villagers, from Chomufuli Farm in Gutu, yesterday had to seek the intervention of the courts to stop the soldiers from 4:2 Infantry Battalion army barracks at Mpandawana Growth Point from terrorising them.
In their application at the Gutu Magistrates' Court, the villagers want Defence minister Sydney Sekeramayi compelled to stop the attacks by the soldiers.
Sekeramayi is the first respondent, while the unnamed commander of 4.2 Infantry Batallion is the second respondent.
The case is set to be heard today by Gutu resident magistrate Edwin Marecha.
Prior to the court application, the villagers - who were beneficiaries of the fast-track land reform programme in 2002 - petitioned the district lands officer, claiming the soldiers wanted to grab their plots.
Source - newsday
