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Patrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
TWO illegal settlers at Klasi Farm 26 in Chemagora, Gokwe South, allegedly brutally murdered the son of the farm owner following a dispute over grazing pastures.
Last month, a farm owner, Mr George Jongwe, was allegedly brutally murdered by 14 illegal settlers at his farm after he had allegedly shot one of them dead while attempting to evict them from his property in Chemagora.
In an interview, Mr Dumapi Tutani, who is the Chemagora Small-Scale Commercial Farmers’ Union chairperson, confirmed the death of Collen, the eldest son of Mr Wellington Klasi and owner of Klasi Farm 26, allegedly at the hands of two illegal settlers following a dispute over grazing pastures. The incident, Mr Tutani said, happened on Saturday afternoon.
“I can confirm that Collen Klasi was brutally murdered on Saturday afternoon at his father’s farm by two illegal settlers after a dispute over pastures,” he said.
“Collen was in the company of a minor whilst herding cattle when he met his fate.”
Mr Tutani said the illegal settlers, who are at large, allegedly armed themselves with machetes and axes which they used to murder Collen. He said they first attacked seven cattle which Collen was herding, inflicting deep cuts on them before turning on him.
“The suspected criminals are known to us as illegal settlers,” said Mr Tutani. “They invaded part of Mr Klasi Farm and attacked Collen accusing him of letting his cattle stray into their grazing area.
“Collen suffered deep cuts and his head had cracks allegedly from blows he received when he was being attacked by machetes and axes.”
Mr Tutani said the suspected murderers were once taken to court by Mr Klasi for invading his farm, but were allegedly refusing to vacate.
Gokwe South District Administrator Mr Steward Gwatiringa confirmed the incident but said he was still to get the facts.
He said Government, which is in the process of working on evicting illegal settlers, has to date issued over 200 eviction letters in Chemagora.
The illegal settlers have been illegally occupying about 54 000 hectares of black-owned farms and have been caught up in a land rows which at times saw their houses being torched by the Deputy Sheriff after the land owners were granted eviction orders by the courts.
Government at one time earmarked 35 000 hectares of land in Chirisa Game Reserve for the resettlement of Chemagora families and other families from Gokwe South and Gokwe North.
However, chiefs in Gokwe successfully objected, demanding that their subjects should be given first priority.
Online Reporter