News / National
Man seizes cop's gun during land dispute
30 May 2025 at 09:21hrs | Views
A Ruwa man appeared before the Harare Magistrates Court on Thursday facing charges of public violence following a chaotic land dispute at Cloverdale Farm earlier this month.
The accused, Garikai Chirambadare, was brought before provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo, who remanded him in custody to Friday for a bail hearing.
Chirambadare is charged under Section 36(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23], which relates to participation in public violence.
According to State prosecutor Nomsa Kangara, the incident occurred on May 16, when Chirambadare and a group of alleged illegal settlers resisted eviction from Cloverdale Farm, located in the Ruwa area.
The evictions were being carried out under High Court Order HCH2294/24 and were executed by a team comprising the Deputy Sheriff, Police Reaction Group, Duty Uniform Branch, Support Unit, and Canine Unit.
Kangara told the court that the accused and others barricaded the Harare-Mutare Highway by setting up wooden logs, burning tyres, and digging trenches in an effort to block access to the disputed land.
The situation reportedly escalated into a violent confrontation when police attempted to disperse the settlers, leading to a traffic jam along the busy highway.
"The crowd resisted police efforts, prompting officers to use teargas to control the situation," said Kangara. "During the skirmishes, some police officers were injured."
In a dramatic twist, Chirambadare is alleged to have grabbed a firearm from a police officer and fled the scene during the chaos.
The court heard that investigations led to his arrest and subsequent court appearance.
Magistrate Moyo deferred the matter to today for bail consideration, with Chirambadare remaining in custody.
The case has drawn renewed attention to the growing tensions over land occupations and evictions in peri-urban areas such as Ruwa, where disputes between settlers and authorities have increasingly turned confrontational.
The accused, Garikai Chirambadare, was brought before provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo, who remanded him in custody to Friday for a bail hearing.
Chirambadare is charged under Section 36(1)(a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act [Chapter 9:23], which relates to participation in public violence.
According to State prosecutor Nomsa Kangara, the incident occurred on May 16, when Chirambadare and a group of alleged illegal settlers resisted eviction from Cloverdale Farm, located in the Ruwa area.
The evictions were being carried out under High Court Order HCH2294/24 and were executed by a team comprising the Deputy Sheriff, Police Reaction Group, Duty Uniform Branch, Support Unit, and Canine Unit.
Kangara told the court that the accused and others barricaded the Harare-Mutare Highway by setting up wooden logs, burning tyres, and digging trenches in an effort to block access to the disputed land.
The situation reportedly escalated into a violent confrontation when police attempted to disperse the settlers, leading to a traffic jam along the busy highway.
"The crowd resisted police efforts, prompting officers to use teargas to control the situation," said Kangara. "During the skirmishes, some police officers were injured."
In a dramatic twist, Chirambadare is alleged to have grabbed a firearm from a police officer and fled the scene during the chaos.
The court heard that investigations led to his arrest and subsequent court appearance.
Magistrate Moyo deferred the matter to today for bail consideration, with Chirambadare remaining in custody.
The case has drawn renewed attention to the growing tensions over land occupations and evictions in peri-urban areas such as Ruwa, where disputes between settlers and authorities have increasingly turned confrontational.
Source - NewsDay
