HARARE
–
The
trial
in
which
former
cabinet
minister,
Petronella
Kagonye
is
suing
15
suspected
land
barons
for
allegedly
invading
her
Cloverdale
Farm
in
Ruwa
has
commenced
before
Harare
magistrate
Ruth
Moyo.
The
suspects
are
Linda
Mapfoche,
Shelly
Chapwanya,
Odwell
Mudzudza,
Davren
Chimhako,
Joe
Madziva,
Webster
Gonzo,
James
Chifamba,
Togarepi
Mudzudza,
Charity
Liver,
Erick
Mutumbi,
Kambuto
Taliban,
Nyarugwe,
Tindo
Gokwe,
Praise
Gokwe,
and
Bamusi
Magaisa.
Trial
opened
with
Kagonye
taking
to
the
witness
stand
to
tell
the
court
that
the
15
had
no
legal
title
to
the
land.
The
business
woman
also
told
the
court
that
the
land
was
lawfully
allocated
to
Glorious
Properties
through
an
offer
letter
issued
by
the
Ministry
of
Local
Government.
Kagonye
said
the
ministry
also
provided
an
approved
layout,
a
development
permit,
and
confirmation
from
the
Surveyor
General.
“We
have
an
offer
letter
to
develop
this
land,
as
well
as
an
approved
layout
and
development
permit,”
she
said,
adding
that
the
Surveyor
General
has
confirmed
this.
“We
tried
to
negotiate
with
the
accused,
but
we
could
not
reach
a
consensus,”
she
said.
The
former
minister
said
the
lands
ministry
had
issued
an
eviction
letter
and
that
the
High
Court
granted
an
end
of
conflict
declaratory
order
in
April
last
year.
Kagonye
said
her
development
permit
specifies
that
stands
must
start
at
1,200
square
meters.
“These
were
properly
surveyed
and
pegged.
However,
each
of
the
stands
they
invaded
was
subdivided
into
smaller
plots
to
accommodate
at
least
five
houses
each,”
she
said.
The
state
alleges
that
the
15
illegally
invaded
the
land
sometime
in
May
2024
and
until
now,
have
been
pegging
and
allocating
stands
to
desperate
home
seekers
without
any
authority.
Trial
is
ongoing.