Police arrest farmer for breaking trespassers legs
By Oliver Chisenga
Fri 30 Aug. 2013, 14:01 CAT

POLICE have arrested and charged the Chikumbi farmer who allegedly drove over the legs of two subsistence farmers as punishment for trespassing on her farm.

The farmer identified as Vyness Magoye, who is remanded at Kabangwe police post, has been charged with acts intended to cause grievous harm while her light truck, Mitsubishi Canter, has been impounded as evidence.

Last Saturday, James Gumbo, 29, and Clever Mutangama, 31, of Chikumbi sustained broken bones in their lower limbs after Magoye allegedly drove over them for collecting tomato stakes in her farmland without permission.

Magoye is alleged to have ordered her farm workers to tie Gumbo and Mutangama, after which she drove over their legs as punishment even after they asked for leniency.

A check at Kabangwe police post found Gumbo and Mutangama recording their statements in the company of their relatives.

And a source at the police post revealed that Magoye, who had moved from Chikumbi to her Makeni farm, had been jointly charged with her farm worker who helped her tie the two victims.

According to the source, Magoye, who on Wednesday eluded police at her Chikumbi farm, turned up at Kabangwe police post in the company of her lawyer, a Mr Ndindi.

"The officer in-charge has been calling this lady since yesterday (Wednesday) but she kept saying she was stuck in traffic. We were told that she has moved to her other house in Makeni," said the source.

But Magoye, who denied having driven over the two farmers' legs, explained that she was fed up with people stealing things from her farm.

"Nalema (I am tired). Do you know how many people I have caught stealing on my farm? Last time they tied my cattle herder and stole my cows; I am tired of these people," said Magoye.