9 MDC-T supporters up for land invasion

NINE MDC-T supporters yesterday appeared before Harare magistrate Tendai Mahwe charged with fraud after they allegedly invaded a Ruwa farm and subdivided it for sale to desperate home-seekers.

Davison Chamisa and his alleged eight accomplices - Langton Ncube (42), Phelitemba Moyo (39), Petronella Butau (32), Jairos Mairos (32), Maxwell Dambudzo (58), Trymore Makwanya (36), Tonderai Mandondo (42) and Ever Mutevera (40) - are alleged to have invaded Dagbreek Farm, popularly known as Mara Farm, in Ruwa and pegged residential stands which they sold to the public.

The other accused, Andrew Matemba, is reportedly on the run.

They were remanded to September 30 on $50 bail each with reporting conditions.

Their lawyer, Douglas Mwonzora, notified the court that he intends to apply for referral of the matter to Constitutional Court on grounds that there was discrimination in the manner the issue was handled.

"The accused are MDC-T supporters who occupied the land and got arrested. There are other members of other political parties who invaded some land, but were never arrested. Therefore, we wish to raise a
constitutional issue of discrimination," he said.

According to the State, Chamisa and his co-accused invaded the 367,94 hectare farm which was allocated to Rodwell Muyati in 2010.

It is alleged that early this month the accused formed Tongogara Housing Co-operative and appointed themselves to different posts.

On August 11, they went on to unlawfully occupy the farm and subdivided it into residential stands.

The State alleges that they misrepresented to 609 complainants that they had been allocated the farm.

Acting on the misrepresentation, the State further alleges that 609 people joined the co-operative and paid $10 each as monthly subscriptions.

They were then allocated stands measuring between 200 and 600 square metres. The State alleges that the accused then contracted Quality Paving and Construction Company which opened access roads on the site.

The accused were arrested over the weekend for the alleged offence and were found in possession of a receipt book and cash amounting to $612 which had been collected from the complainants.