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Walter Mswazie and Tawanda Mangoma
ONE HUNDRED and twenty-four war veterans were yesterday found guilty by Chiredzi magistrate Honest Musiyiwa of illegally occupying sugar plantations in the lowveld. Their court appearance followed the occupation of sugarcane plantations at Hippo Valley and Triangle estates by more than 600 villagers, including war veterans on Monday, demanding that the government allocates them the land.

The disturbances saw about 186 people being arrested. Those arrested appeared in batches at Chiredzi magistrate court charged for violating the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act, for allegedly “entering any land knowing that or realising that such entry is forbidden.”

Magistrate Musiyiwa fined them $25 each, payable before June 9 this year failure of they would be jailed for 10 days.
The state, led by prosecutor Liberty Hove submitted that between May 15 and May 16, 61 people occupied Section 19 of Hippo Valley Estates.

Stella Masori and 48 others allegedly went to Section 65 in Triangle on May 16 and settled themselves illegally. The rest of the other arrested persons are expected to appear in court today.

Prosecutor Hove released 17-year-old school boy Thinkwell Mashamba without charge.
The teenager is alleged to have participated in the land occupation in place of his parents who work in South Africa.

The accused were represented by Wellington Muzenda who argued that his clients were reacting to delays in offering them land as promised; hence they deserved a lesser sentence.

Speaking earlier, Zanu-PF’s Masvingo provincial chairman, Cde Callisto Gwanetsa, had condemned the invasion of sugar plantations and urged party members to respect its principles.

In a telephone interview yesterday he expressed concern over the invasion of the sugarcane plantations and called on members to wait for government to allocate them land properly.

“We are a disciplined party that will not tolerate civil disobedience. The party is disturbed by the reports about people who want to cause chaos.

“I abide by what the Minister of Lands and Rural Settlement Dr Douglas Mombeshora has said on the matter and we should not allow land invasions at this juncture. Things should be done properly,” said Cde Gwanetsa, also a war veteran.

He said no one is above the law and arrested persons must not expect preferential treatment.
“The issue of land reform is not an event but a process. Those who were given offer letters will obviously benefit in due course.

“What is needed is that people should wait for the finalisation of a policy on plantations and they have to be patient. I believe all deserving people will benefit but they should not promote chaos because they will get arrested,” he said.

He called on people in the province to respect President Mugabe’s call not to disrupt production on farms.
The chairman of the Zimbabwe Sugarcane Farmers Development Association, Cde Edmore Veterai, said he was not aware of the disturbances in the lowveld as he was outside the country.

“I am sorry I cannot comment because I was not in the country. I am coming from South Africa now and driving to Harare where I will attend a meeting,” said Cde Veterai.