Land barons challenge contempt charges

Suspected land barons Rodgers Pote and Trymore Arineshito, facing charges of contempt of court for carrying out unauthorised development on an illegal settlement, have applied for discharge at the close of the State's case.

Harare magistrate Tapiwa Banda is expected to deliver a ruling on the application on September 19.

During the trial, Harare City Council Housing Director Addmore Nhekairo testified that he was unaware of any offer letters issued to Eastwind Trust regarding land in Mabvuku or Donnybrook. He stated that neither Pote nor Arineshito had been allocated land by the council or recommended by the council's regularisation task force.

When questioned about claims by the accused that they had permission to occupy the land, Mr Nhekairo disputed them, adding that several documents presented by the defence, allegedly granting permission, were fake. He noted that fake land documents have been a persistent problem in the city.

Previously, former Mt Pleasant MP Jason Pasade testified that Pote and Arineshito hired thugs to seize land developed and allocated by his company, Homegram Investments Limited, on behalf of the Freedom Fighters Development Trust. Mr Pasade said his company had begun building roads and other infrastructure when the accused started illegally selling and allocating stands.

The High Court issued a provisional order against Eastwind Trust in November 2023 to remove the illegally settled occupants, but the accused failed to comply, prompting the current contempt charges.

Prosecutor Takudzwa Mutyavaviri argued that the actions of the accused undermined lawful development and violated court directives, causing financial and operational losses for the complainant.