adminLeonard Ncube Senior Court Reporter
A woman who is being accused of unseating a community board elected by villagers at Woodlands Farm in Hwange District and imposing herself and her son has accused the District Administrator for the area, Tapera Mugoriya of meddling in community issues.
About 118 beneficiaries of the land reform programme at the farm near Victoria Falls town are up in arms with Judith Maphosa, 57, and her Namibia-based son Tendai Musasa who they accuse of exploiting their resources through a “bogus” board.
Maphosa is facing fraud charges for replacing a board without the community’s consent and it emerged at some point she literally barricaded the farm by blocking officials from the DA’s office from visiting the area.
Testifying yesterday, Mugoriya told magistrate Crispen Mberewere that Maphosa was an imposter.
“I only know Maphosa as a mother of one of the beneficiaries at Woodlands Farm,” said Mugoriya.
Maphosa is not a plot holder at Woodlands Farm.
Added Mugoriya: “A group of women led by Maphosa approached me with some complaints and we held a meeting on May 5, 2013 where we made some recommendations. We had planned another meeting on June 15, 2013 but unfortunately we heard that the meeting had been cancelled as she had changed the board and replaced it with new members.”
Woodlands Farm is made up of 118 villagers who benefited from the land reform exercise in 2001.
Prosecutors allege that Maphosa, who stays at her son’s Plot 109, enticed a group of villagers and misrepresented to the Deeds Office and changed membership of a board for the community company, Words of Advice Trading Private Limited.
Mugoriya indicated to court that Woodlands Farm had a myriad of challenges emanating mostly from Maphosa’s dealings and that needed government attention.
Retorted Maphosa: “Change of the board was imminent in terms of Companies Act. Where do you come in as DA? You are supposed to deal with community issues and not company issues. We got the green light from shareholders to change the board.”
She claimed that officials from the DA’s office were being paid by the community and alleged that Mugoriya was siding with the ousted Themba Nyathi-led board.
“You were a liability to the community. You were being bankrolled by the community. Don’t you think you are being partial and failing to execute your duty?” charged Maphosa.
Mugoriya said his office was not directly involved in the day-to-day running of the company but had an oversight role as a government arm to provide “conflict resolution mechanisms to a troubled community.”
Words of Advice was formed by the community after it felt that the initial cooperative set up was not feasible.
After the expiry of the term of office of a curatorship team appointed by then Governor Sithokozile Mathuthu, villagers elected eight people, two from each village to be co-opted into the board.
Maphosa is denying going to the Deeds Office in Bulawayo on June 5, last year where she became the secretary while her son became the principal director. In her defence, she claims villagers were not happy that the board had not availed audited books for two years.
Other members are Imagine Chikotsi, Morgan Dube, Christopher Tenson Dadani, Kenny Lenyon Lunga, Josphat Phiri, Rosemary Ndlovu-Ncube and Sibusiso Mpofu. The Nyathi-led board had John Sinaga, Mary Nyoni and Dennis Nkomo as members.
The villagers contend that Maphosa terminated a running hunting contract with Profound Investments on June 7, 2013, thereby depriving them of proceeds.
They allege that Maphosa and Musasa failed to account for more than $350,000 generated from hunting activities last year and are demanding answers.
While the Nyathi-led board argues that Maphosa imposed herself through a meeting she claims was attended by 85 villagers, Maphosa alleges support from the whole community.
She objected to the adoption of minutes of one of the meetings between the DA and villagers as exhibit in court, saying some of the attendees were in her team.
The case continues on March 26, with more witnesses.
Online Reporter