Chief Njelele accuse of seizing livestock without due process

Villagers under Chief Njelele's jurisdiction in Gokwe have accused the traditional leader, born Misheck Njelele, of illegally seizing 19 cattle and six goats without following proper judicial processes. Efforts to file a case against the chief at Gokwe Central Police Station were reportedly thwarted by law enforcement, Southern Eye has learned.

According to the villagers, the seizures were carried out by Chief Njelele's messengers, Milton and Thomas Nemangwe, under unclear circumstances. They claimed that no summons or traditional court hearings had been conducted before their livestock was taken.

Villagers who lost two cattle each include Trynos Ncube, Nelson Ncube, Richard Dube, Kumbulani Dube, Learnmore Gomboza, Tawanda Chivete, and two others identified as Madzivire and Madzore. They were accused of offenses such as collecting dry wood to construct cattle pens.

Ninety-five-year-old Philimon Machaile from the Forest area also lost three cattle as a penalty after his nephew was accused of raping a local girl.

Nelson Ncube expressed shock at the manner in which the livestock was seized. He recounted how Milton Nemangwe and his group, allegedly armed with a gun, demanded cattle from the villagers without any formal notice or court ruling.

"We were surprised to see Milton demanding the cattle from us because there was no summons sent to us or a chief's court we attended over the issue," Ncube said. "He came with a gun, and I do not know if the chief's messengers are allowed to carry guns when they are collecting fines from villagers."

Ncube claimed that when he reported the matter to Gokwe Central Police Station, the officer-in-charge acknowledged that it was unlawful to seize livestock without proper summons but refused to open a case against the chief.

On November 14 last year, Thomas Nemangwe allegedly returned to the village, demanding US$25 from the victims without issuing any receipts. The cattle were eventually raided on December 14, with the messengers reportedly handpicking livestock from villagers' pens.

Efforts by the villagers to meet Chief Njelele were reportedly blocked by the messengers, who insisted on seizing additional goats from the victims.

When contacted, Milton Nemangwe denied carrying a gun during the operations and referred further questions to Chief Njelele. "You can contact Chief Njelele. He is the one who sent us to collect the cattle," Milton said. "As for the gun, we don't carry a gun when enforcing summons—that is a lie. These villagers are actually nine, and I only enforce the chief's orders."

Attempts to reach Chief Njelele for comment were unsuccessful, as he was not answering calls. National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi was also unavailable for comment by the time of publication.

Chief Njelele is no stranger to controversy. In 2011, he was arrested on allegations of fraud for subdividing a farm in Chemagora and selling plots to home seekers without the owner's consent. He appeared in court in Kwekwe over the matter.

The latest allegations have reignited calls for accountability among traditional leaders and a review of their powers in handling disputes within their jurisdictions.