Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A RECENT gold discovery in Penhalonga has ignited a bitter feud between two cousins, each accusing the other of trying to seize unfair advantage over a piece of land suddenly transformed into a treasure trove.
The dispute, heard before Chief Mutasa’s community court, pits Trymore Benito against his cousin, Lydia Hondo.
At the heart of the conflict lies a modest family plot that, until now, had been little more than ancestral ground. With the arrival of precious mineral deposits, however, the land has become a coveted asset, fuelling resentment and suspicion.
Benito told the court that the quarrel began after he left for Mozambique in 2015 to seek employment following the deaths of his parents.
Before departing, he said, he entrusted the family homestead to his younger brother, who remained on the property. What was once a quiet arrangement has now erupted into a storm of accusations, with both Benito and Hondo claiming rightful occupation of the land.
The discovery of gold has, not only altered the value of the property, but also fractured family ties, turning kinship into rivalry. What was once ordinary soil has become a battleground for inheritance, wealth, and trust.
“After our parents died, I went to Mozambique to look for employment, and left my younger brother staying at the homestead. At some point he called and told me that our cousin was looking for a place to stay. As a family, we agreed to accommodate her because she is our relative,” said Benito, adding that the arrangement was initially temporary.
However, he said circumstances changed after his brother fell ill and later died.
“When my brother got sick and eventually passed away, I returned home for the funeral. That is when I discovered that boundaries and demarcations had been put in place and my cousin was now claiming ownership of part of the land,” said Benito, adding that the land in question originally belonged to his mother.
“Our mothers are sisters, and I understand that Lydia’s mother gave the land to my mother when she was still serving as a village head. The land therefore belongs to my family through inheritance,” he argued, accusing his cousin of exploiting his absence and his brother’s death to expand her claim. According to Benito, the situation worsened after gold deposits were found.
“The moment gold deposits were found, everything changed. My family was pushed into a corner while she occupied the larger portion of the land where most of the mining activities are taking place.
“She is benefiting more because she took the biggest portion. This dispute is not just about land anymore. It is also about the gold that was discovered there,” he said.
Hondo, however, strongly denied the allegations, insisting she had settled on the land lawfully and had not encroached on her cousin’s property.
She said the land was allocated to several families by traditional leaders and was never intended to belong exclusively to Benito’s family.
“We were settled there as families and advised by the village head to share the land. It was not only me. There were four other families that were allocated land in the same area. We have lived there for about 10 years while Trymore was in Mozambique,” she said.
Hondo also rejected claims that she took advantage of Benito’s absence, saying she had assisted his family during difficult times.
“I was the one who helped look after his younger brother when he was bedridden,” she said, further denying responsibility for any boundary changes.
“I did not put up the demarcations that he is talking about. Yes, there is gold on the land, but the mineral was discovered years after we had already settled there,” she said.
Hondo argued that Benito only sought to reclaim the land after gold was discovered.
“After his brother died, he demolished the house, and said he wanted to permanently relocate to Mozambique. Now that gold has been discovered, he wants the land back,” she said, further alleging that other family members had fuelled the dispute.
“My biological brother, Paul Hondo, is the one influencing this matter. He has teamed up with Trymore and another relative because he wants me evicted from the area. I believe this is being driven by jealousy because I managed to improve my life and even bought a vehicle,” she claimed, maintaining that she had never mined on Benito’s portion.
“Gold is found throughout the area. I have only been mining on the land that I occupy and have never interfered with his section,” she said.
Chief Mutasa urged the cousins to set aside their differences and preserve family unity.
He said it was unfortunate that a dispute involving close relatives had reached such levels.
“You are family and blood relatives. Land disputes should never destroy family relationships. Long after the gold is gone, you will still remain relatives,” said Chief Mutasa.
After considering the evidence, the chief ruled that the land belonged to Benito through inheritance from his late mother.
“The evidence before this court shows that the land was inherited by Benito’s mother and therefore forms part of his family’s inheritance. The fact that other people may have occupied portions of the land does not take away the inheritance rights that exist,” ruled Chief Mutasa.
He ordered the parties to respect the ruling and coexist peacefully.
“This court is not interested in creating enemies within families. My ruling is based on inheritance rights, but I urge both parties to co-exist and respect one another as relatives. Gold should not divide a family. Wealth comes and goes, but family remains,” he said.
