War vets fight Mohadi over farm
05/01/2012 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
POLICE in Beitbridge have arrested eight suspects, including two war veterans, for allegedly vandalising property at co-Home Affairs Minister Kembo Mohadi’s farm in Beitbridge west.
Given Mbedzi, his mother Philani Ndou, Soforia Ndou, Jameson Mbedzi and Alifa Mbedzi, who won plot at Jopembe Lot 9 farm, are accused of tampering with locks on one of the structures at the property.
The suspects, who have a long-standing dispute with the Zanu PF minister over some plots adjacent to his farm, were arrested at the farm last weekend and charged with malicious damage to property.
The dispute appears to have triggered by the fact that Mohadi’s son, Campbell Junior was in 2009 given an offer letter for a farm that had been allocated to Given Mbedzi in 2003. The minister’s son was reportedly issued the plot after Mbedzi allegedly abandoned it.
Meanwhile, trial of the case however, failed to take off at the Beitbridge magistrates’ court on Wednesday and was referred to the Gwanda provincial magistrates’ courts on the instruction of Matabeleland South area prosecutor, Blessing Gundani.
The group was further detained at Beitbridge main police station pending transfer to Gwanda for trial on Thursday.
Lawyers however said the group would deny the charges and argue, instead, that the case is part of ongoing attempts by Mohadi to force them off their plots.
Philemon Marubini Ndou, Ignatius Ncube and Knowledge Muleya, who are employees of Mbedzi, are also accused of cutting a 5 km stretch of fence, which the Minister had reportedly erected at his property.
They are out on $30 bail each and will jointly appear with the rest of the group at the Gwanda magistrates’ court.
Soforia Ndou is also facing charges of stock theft, after she is alleged to have cut a piece of fence from the same farm which resulted in several head of cattle straying. The stock remains unaccounted for.
Labels: KEMBO MOHADI, LAND REFORM, NEW FARMERS, WAR VETERANS
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Ministers headed for clash over Meikles specification
TH.
Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:12:00 +0000
A CLASH is looming between Co-Home Affairs Ministers Kembo Mohadi and Giles Mutsekwa over the specification of Kingdom Meikles Africa Limited, with the latter accused of trying to engineer the resumption of the company’s normal trading behind his counterpart’s back.
A fortnight ago, Government froze the assets of Kingdom Meikles, Tanganda Tea Company (Pvt) Ltd, Thomas Meikles Centre (Pvt) Ltd and Murlis Investments (Pvt) Ltd, all of which are linked to the Meikles empire, on allegations of externalising foreign currency.
Ministers Mohadi and Mutsekwa ordered the specification as per the constitutional prerogative and proceeded to appoint Messrs Budhama and Cleopas Mukungunugwa as investigators of the companies.
However, Minister Mutsekwa went on to meet emissaries of Mr John Moxon — the face of the Meikles empire — without Minister Mohadi’s knowledge and subsequently issued a public statement saying he would work for the company’s de-specification.
Mr Moxon is a former chairman of KMAL and was also specified in January this year, but is now based in South Africa.
Yesterday, Minister Mohadi said he was not aware that his counterpart had met Mr Moxon’s emissaries and stressed that KMAL remained specified and there was "no change of heart" on the part of the Government in that regard.
"I am not aware of the meetings. He has not informed me about it.
"There is no change of heart. They are under specification and what I know is that we both signed for their specification," Minister Mohadi said.
In a recent interview with SW Radio Africa, a pirate radio station, Minister Mutsekwa said he met Mr Moxon’s emissaries and confessed his desire to push for the companies’ de-specification as soon as possible.
Minister Mutsekwa also confessed having received representations over the KMAL saga from MDC-T, which has made it clear that it is against the specification because it "tarnishes" Zimbabwe’s image as an investment destination.
However, Reserve Bank Governor Dr Gideon Gono last week made it clear that the KMAL issue was a domestic affair and international investors need not feel apprehension over the move.
Minister Mutsekwa said: "I have since had various visits from people concerned who have come to me and who have explained to me the other side of the story.
"Apparently what has been taking place is that we have been listening to only one person who is an aggrieved character and we took it for granted, being a Christian, everybody thought he was up to his word.
"But, however, as I am saying, ever since the gazetting of that instrument the other side has also approached me and we have held various high-level meetings and I now understand that it was not all that I was being told by the first side that is correct and I appreciate the issue much better."
He said he met the emissaries soon after the specification order was gazetted and Mr Moxon had given his assurance that he would repay whatever he had externalised.
Minister Mutsekwa added: "So I’m happy as the minister that everything is on course and I am advised if people concerned take certain procedures so we rectify the issue."
He said Mr Moxon’s emissaries realised the gravity of their offence.
Minister Mutsekwa said KMAL had externalised US$21 million. - The Herald
Labels: GILES MUTSEKWA, KEMBO MOHADI, MEIKLES GROUP
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