BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE THE widow of the late Zanu PF politburo member Tendai Savanhu, who is accused of assaulting her stepson in a wrangle over her late husband’s estate, has denied the accusation saying the two have never seen eye to eye.
Madakureva Savanhu, who is represented by Purity Chikangaise, appeared before Harare magistrate Tafadzwa Mhiti to answer to a charge of assaulting her stepson, Tatenda.
It is alleged that Tatenda attempted to evict her from her Glen Lorne matrimonial home in March this year.
“The accused person denies and dismisses the allegations being levelled against her and rather states she is a victim of abuse from the complainant. The accused will deny ever assaulting the complainant on that day, but will state that the events of that day were calculated as the complainant wanted to get an interim peace order against her with conditions which required her to visit her matrimonial home,” Madakureva said.
She described the allegations as malicious, adding that it was on record that there was bad blood between her and her stepson.
“If at all there was an eviction in place, the messenger of court is the only person allowed to carry out the process. The question that follows is what the complainant was doing at the premises. From the State papers, it is clear that Acie Lumumba (William Mutumanje) is the one who hit the windscreen and not the accused,” her lawyer said.
Madakureva said she has not known peace since Savanhu died, and that his ex-wife, Sabina, and her son Tatenda were trying to disinherit her from her late husband’s estate.
Madakureva and her children currently have no shelter after she was thrown out of the matrimonial home.
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She has also sued her late husband’s lawyer Partson Matandadzi for allegedly conniving with Sabina and misrepresenting facts, while knowing that she was Savanhu’s only wife and surviving spouse.
Matandadzi is, according to court papers, the executor of Savanhu’s estate.
He also pays the family expenses through the late Savanhu’s company, T and S Marketing.
In her declaration, Madakureva said the company was responsible for paying of all their expenses, including fees, medication, farm expenses, wages and workers accommodation, among others.
She said Savanhu did not distinguish between his personal affairs and the affairs of his company.
Madakureva also said the stand on which they built their matrimonial home was acquired in 1999.
She said they moved in soon after completion and lived there for 20 years with their three children before her husband died.
According to the declaration, she is the one who was responsible for designing the house, monitoring its construction and the daily running of their family.
The stand was registered under the name of T and S Marketing.
Sabina allegedly ceased to have interests in T and S Marketing and was removed as one of the directors of the company.
- Follow Desmond on Twitter@DChingarande1
