INSIZA Rural District Council chairperson, Daniel Mpofu has claimed that the area has been invaded by Zanu PF-connected land barons, who were acting with impunity, adding police were also afraid to arrest them.
BY SILAS NKALA
Mpofu (68) made the remarks last Friday when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate, Sithembiso Ncube charged with public violence.
He is jointly charged with Dumisani Mpofu (44), Mbuso Ncube (26), Busani Mathe (31), Amado Phiri (42) and Manager Ncube (59) all of Lochard Resettlement area.
The State alleges that on June 6 this year, the six allegedly assaulted Zanu PF ward chairperson, Clifford Machona during a meeting at Lochard Business Centre.
Mpofu claimed Machona had gate-crashed the meeting where the issue of land barons was being discussed.
According to court records gleaned by Southern Eye yesterday, Mpofu, in his defence, told the court that there was a long standing grudge between him and the complainants.
“This is just to fix me because I investigated a group of land barons at Lochard and caused their arrest,” he said.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
“They even sent thugs to assault me for that. So all this is emanating from that hatred.”
Mpofu said all their meetings were held under police guard, following threats issued against him, but when violence erupted, the law enforcement agents took no action.
“There is so much political tension in Fort Rixon. These land barons are big guns, feared even by the police. So the police did not do any investigations, but were just told what to do,” he continued.
“Machona was part of the 52 land barons, who were banned from attending these meetings because of their corrupt activities.”
Mpofu said the witnesses lied about him because they wanted to hide their corrupt activities.
Machona was last year convicted for illegal land deals.
