'Sangoma' court case fails to take off

The trial of Marondera-based self-styled spirit medium failed to kick off after the accused appealed for a postponement of trial as their lawyer was not available.

The self-styled spirit medium Kajawo Chingodzo (68) of Muchemwa village in Murewa and his six co-accused who are facing charges of occupying gazetted land without lawful authority were back in court for trial.

The trial however failed to take off after the accused requested for a postponement to the 26th of this month as their lawyer was not available.

The request was opposed by the state led by public prosecutor Emmanuel Dera resulting in magistrate Jabulani Mzinyathi ordering them to come back for trial on Friday.

Allegations against Kajawo and his co-accused are that they went to Plot Number 2 Chiparawe farm in Marondera and sowed rapoko on a piece of land belonging to Phillip Chiradza.

Chiradza reported the matter to the police who arrested the accused on the third attempt after having failed to arrest them on two different occasions.

This is the second time Chingodzo and his team have been arrested on similar charges after they were arrested in 2015 for invading a plot in the same area and were convicted and fined US$50 and ordered to vacate the farm.

They, however, appealed against the order to vacate which is still pending.