Karoi magistrate Moreblessing Makati has postponed the sentencing of Hurungwe East legislator Chenjerai Kangausaru, who was accused of forgery.
Makati convicted Kangausaru last month and sentencing was set for Tuesday last week.
However, the magistrate could not pass sentence because Kangausaru’s lawyer Samuel Muyemeki of Mapara and Associates was committed at the High Court.
Kangausaru is locked in a land dispute with Tichafa Tendayi over a 262-hectare piece of land at Chitonga Farm in Tengwe.
The matter went for full trial that saw Kangausaru losing for using a fake offer letter.
He was remanded out of custody.
Kangausaru was facing charges under section 3(1) of the Land (Consequential Provision) Act Chapter 20:28 for occupation of gazetted land without lawful authority.
Prosecutor Progress Maponde told the court that Kangausaru unlawfully occupied Subdivision 1 of Chitonga in November 2014.
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Tendayi, who resides at Subdivision 1 of Chitonga Farm, reported the matter to the police.
According to the State, the farm was allocated to two people, with Tendayi being one of the beneficiaries.
“The accused person (Chenjerai Kangausaru) has no legal right to act in the manner he did. The complainant (Vincent Tendayi) has a valid offer letter that justifies his occupancy of the disputed piece of land,” Maponde told the court.
In defence, Kangausaru claimed that he had an offer letter from the Lands ministry signed by former minister Douglas Mombeshora in February 2014.
However, verification by the acting director for lands and administration, a C Magauze, revealed that the letter was fake.
He also submitted two offer letters to the Hurungwe district lands committee which were issued by Mombeshora, but with different signatures.
Kangausaru will appear in court for sentencing on December 13 this year.
