Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
THERE was drama at Chief Mutasa’s community court when a man dramatically produced a worn wooden cooking stick, claiming it was the weapon his neighbour had used to assault him during a long-running feud over stolen property.
The unusual exhibit was presented by Maxmore Chimwaza during a heated hearing against his neighbour, Caleb Karumbidza, in a dispute over compensation linked to theft allegations dating back more than a decade.
Chimwaza insisted that Karumbidza had repeatedly attacked him with the stick during arguments over money owed for stolen goods.
The case was brought before the court by Karumbidza, who is demanding payment for property allegedly stolen from his home in 2013 by Chimwaza’s son, John.
Testifying, Karumbidza said: “In 2013, I caught a thief who had been stealing from my home for years. It was John Chimwaza, Maxmore’s son. I laid a trap and later recovered some of the stolen items from their homestead.”
He told the court that Chimwaza admitted his son’s wrongdoing, and promised to compensate him, but 13 years later, the debt remains unpaid.
Karumbidza further alleged that tensions escalated when John confronted him over the matter, attacking him with a knife and stabbing him.
Chimwaza did not dispute that his son stole from Karumbidza when he was young.
Instead, he pleaded with the court to consider the hardships his family later endured, particularly after he developed serious eye problems that consumed the money he had set aside for compensation.
“I can confirm that my child stole from him. I had promised to pay, but I later developed problems with my eye and used the money for treatment as I tried to save my eyesight,” Chimwaza told the court.
He claimed that despite explaining his health struggles, Karumbidza became violent and repeatedly assaulted him.
“He did not understand my situation. Instead, he came to my home at night carrying this cooking stick and assaulted me several times while demanding his money,” said Chimwaza, before dramatically producing the worn wooden stick as evidence.
The court erupted in murmurs and laughter as the unusual exhibit was presented.
“He would come at night with this stick, threatening me, sometimes accompanied by his friend, Lloyd. Imagine, a family head like me being beaten with a cooking stick in front of my family. He even assaulted my son last year, forcing the boy to flee from home,” added Chimwaza.
He further revealed that he had once encouraged Karumbidza to pursue formal legal channels against his son while he was still in primary school, so that probation services could rehabilitate him.
“My child was a thief when he was young. I wanted him to face the police and courts so he could be corrected early, but Karumbidza refused to criminalise the matter,” admitted Chimwaza.
Chimwaza said he was deeply hurt by the way his son was treated during the dispute.
“It pained me how he treated my child back then. The boy was still very young and in primary school,” he said.
Despite his financial struggles and medical expenses, Chimwaza told the court he had managed to pay US$20 towards the debt, leaving a balance of US$187.
In delivering his judgment, Chief Mutasa urged the feuding neighbours to end their cycle of violence and resolve the matter peacefully.
“You cannot continue fighting over a dispute that began more than a decade ago, injuring each other in the process,” he said.
The chief condemned the use of weapons such as knives and sticks during quarrels, warning that such conduct only deepens divisions. He ordered Chimwaza to compensate Karumbidza for the stolen property through monthly instalments.
“The outstanding US$187 must be paid in instalments of US$50 per month until the debt is cleared,” ruled Chief Mutasa.
He further cautioned Karumbidza against taking the law into his own hands and warned both families to avoid further confrontations.
