Insiza land scam: Chairperson nabbed for violence

INSIZA Rural District Council chairperson Councillor Daniel Mpofu has appeared in court for allegedly teaming up with five other people to sjambok before stabbing one of the people whom he was accusing of resisting orders to reverse all land sales in the district.

Clr Mpofu has been at the forefront of calling for the arrest of people linked to the land scandal in the area where some councillors and village heads allegedly sold land to desperate individuals for prices ranging between $500 and $1 000 or for a single beast at the Lochard area in Fort Rixon.

Clr Mpofu (68) appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Miss Sthembiso Ncube together with five others, Dumisani Mpofu (44), Mbuso Ncube (26), Busani Mathe (31), Amado Phiri (42) and Manager Ncube (59), facing charges of severely assaulting Clifford Machona, Elijah Makhulumo, Mkhululi Ncube and Busani Dumani using a sjambok, a rubber pick handle and sharp objects causing all the complainants to sustain serious injuries.

The six allegedly ganged up and assaulted the four men at Lochard Business Centre.

Prosecuting, Miss Memory Takaidza said on 5 June 2015 at about 1pm both the accused persons and the complainants were attending a meeting at Lochard Business Centre which had been convened by Clr Mpofu. During the meeting Mr Machona asked Mpofu what authority he had to convene the meeting.

“Accused one, Daniel Mpofu who resides at Low Density, Filabusi and is the council chairperson for lnsiza District instructed his other accused persons to beat up the complainants by uttering the following words ‘my youths stand up’. Accused two, Dumisani Mpofu then grabbed Machona by the neck and pushed him towards Daniel Mpofu.

“Accused three Mbuso Ncube and accused four Busani Mathe produced a sjambok and a knobkerrie respectively and both assaulted Machona several times. After assaulting Machona accused three, Mbuso Ncube went on to assault Busani Dumani with a sjambok several times while Dumisani Mpofu and Amado Phiri also assaulted Dumani with a rubber pick handle and baton respectively several times,” Miss Takaidza told the court.

The court also heard that Clr Mpofu produced a sharp object and stabbed Machona several times.

The complainants and other people attending the meeting dispersed fearing for their safety. The complainants made reports that led to the arrest of the accused persons. The matter was remanded to 1 August for trial.

In July last year, the Bulawayo High Court blocked the Insiza Rural District council from evicting the families settled in Lochard Farm whom the local authority has declared illegal settlers.