News / National
White farmers fight eviction
22 Jan 2018 at 06:56hrs | Views
TWO white commercial farmers in Marondera have taken the government to court contesting the cancellation of their land offer letters and transfer of their property to an indigenous farmer.
In their High Court challenge, David Alexander Tippet and Stewart John Tippet claimed that the government's move to transfer their property to a J Chamhuka in October last year was illegal and should be reversed.
"We want the court to order the cancellation of an offer letter issued by the defendant (Lands ministry) to Chamhuka on October 5 last year and declare first and second applicants' (the Tippets) offer letters valid and enforceable," their summons read.
"We want the court to order eviction of Chamhuka from Subdivision 2 of Magar in Marondera district of Mashonaland East province and cost of suit at attorney-client scale to be borne by Chamhuka."
Through their lawyers Messrs Chinyama and Partners, the Tippets claimed that on May 2 last year, then Land, Agriculture and Rural Development minister Douglas Mombeshora issued them with offer letters for a portion of Magar Farm in Marondera measuring 337 hectares.
However, Mombeshora later sought to revoke the offer letters, resulting in the Tippets approaching the High Court under case HC613/17 and the court declared the revocation as invalid.
Contrary to the High Court order, Mombeshora proceeded to issue an offer letter for the same property to Chamhuka.
Both the Land ministry and Chamuka are yet to respond to the summons.
In their High Court challenge, David Alexander Tippet and Stewart John Tippet claimed that the government's move to transfer their property to a J Chamhuka in October last year was illegal and should be reversed.
"We want the court to order the cancellation of an offer letter issued by the defendant (Lands ministry) to Chamhuka on October 5 last year and declare first and second applicants' (the Tippets) offer letters valid and enforceable," their summons read.
"We want the court to order eviction of Chamhuka from Subdivision 2 of Magar in Marondera district of Mashonaland East province and cost of suit at attorney-client scale to be borne by Chamhuka."
However, Mombeshora later sought to revoke the offer letters, resulting in the Tippets approaching the High Court under case HC613/17 and the court declared the revocation as invalid.
Contrary to the High Court order, Mombeshora proceeded to issue an offer letter for the same property to Chamhuka.
Both the Land ministry and Chamuka are yet to respond to the summons.
Source - thestandard
