Kadoma land dispute case crumbles

The State has formally withdrawn criminal charges in the high-profile land dispute involving popular cleric Tapiwa Freddy, founder of Goodness and Mercy Ministries, and property developer Kudakwashe Taruberekera, CEO of Craft Properties (Pvt) Ltd. The decision was made on Thursday by Kadoma magistrate Yeukai Dzuda, who cited insufficient evidence to proceed with prosecution.

The case, which had attracted widespread public and media attention, stemmed from a 2016 donation of a 4,000-square-metre residential stand  -  Stand Number 7510 in Mandalay, Sabonabona, Kadoma  -  by Craft Properties to Freddy, who is widely known as Prophet Freddy. However, in 2021, Craft Properties revoked the donation, alleging that Freddy had failed to meet conditions tied to the agreement.

Earlier this year, Freddy reported the matter to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC), accusing Taruberekera of corruption. In response, Taruberekera dismissed the allegations, accusing Freddy of abusing state institutions to settle what he insisted was a civil dispute, while tarnishing his personal and professional reputation in the process.

The case initially began at the Chinhoyi Magistrates' Court on February 7, where Taruberekera was arrested and charged with fraud, though the charges were later amended to theft. Following a series of postponements and a transfer to the Kadoma Magistrates' Court, the matter appeared in court on several dates  -  March 20, April 4, April 23, April 30, May 19, June 17, and July 4  -  before its withdrawal on July 17.

Taruberekera raised concerns over Freddy's decision to bypass the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) and approach ZACC directly, suggesting undue influence within the anti-graft body. He further alleged that Freddy had access to confidential information during the investigation, citing Freddy's detailed knowledge of his arrest and detention conditions in Chinhoyi in February.

"Freddy's knowledge of my arrest and detention conditions in Chinhoyi, including the filthy cells, shows he was being fed real-time information from someone in authority. This is highly irregular," said Taruberekera.

Legal experts weighed in on the controversy, highlighting that Freddy's decision to lay a personal complaint against Taruberekera, rather than against Craft Properties as a corporate entity, was legally questionable.
"If Freddy truly believed there was wrongdoing, he should have pursued legal action against the company, not the individual director," one legal expert said. "Targeting Taruberekera personally seemed more intended to inflict reputational damage than to seek genuine legal redress."

Freddy, who only appeared in court once reportedly to request a change of dates, has not commented publicly on the withdrawal of the charges.

Speaking outside the Kadoma court last Thursday, Taruberekera welcomed the outcome.
"Finally, the State withdrew the case against me and Craft Properties after failing to find any evidence to support their claims," he said. "This matter dragged my name and the company's name through the mud. Our 17-year legacy has been severely tarnished."

He further accused Freddy of using state institutions to intimidate and harass him.
"I don't know what his real motives were. He knew the donation had been revoked. It's clear now he wanted to damage our company's reputation," Taruberekera said. "I lost trust with clients and partners, and we incurred significant legal costs. I will consult my lawyers about recovering these losses."

Taruberekera reiterated that Craft Properties has never faced any criminal conviction and remains proud of its clean international record. He also referenced past controversies involving Freddy, including the demolition of his Glen View church in 2020 and 2023 due to illegal construction.

"This company will not allow anyone to abuse public institutions for personal vendettas," he said. "We are considering legal options to ensure accountability for this abuse of process."