Former Registrar General Mudede in court for theft

Nyore Madzianike 

Senior Court Reporter 

Then Registrar General Tobaiwa Mudede allegedly took a Support Unit team from Rhodesville Police Station in Harare in the late 2000s to evict a woman from a plot at Ballinettey Farm in Mazowe after stealing her irrigation equipment worth US$10 000.

Mudede is said to have roped in the police with assistance from Inspector Mwenje, who was then officer-in-charge at Rhodesville and used them to evict Jacquiline Mukanganyama from Plot 10, Ballinettey Farm in Mazowe West. At that time, Mudede allegedly bragged that he was untouchable since he was the Registrar General.

Yesterday at Harare Magistrates Court Mudede (70) appeared charged with theft. He was not asked to plead when he appeared before magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi, who remanded him to June 23 on free bail.

Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti, appearing for the State, said Mudede was the holder of Plot 1 at Ballinettey Farm. 

In 2002 Ms Mukanganyama was offered Plot 10 measuring 70 hectares and started farming there and was also given the responsibility of the taking care of the remaining State land and other properties.

In 2007, Mudede was offered subdivisions 1,2,3,4,13 and the remainder of Ballinettey, a total of 712.64ha after a heated boundary dispute between him, Ms Mukanganyama and other neighbours. Mudede, according to the State, had his offer letter registered by the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture in 2009.

Further allegations are that Mudede then forcefully went to occupy the farm house which was at the boundary of Ms Munkanganyama’s farm and the remaining State Land, which was under her caretakership.

The court heard that Mudede evicted Mukanganyama and stole irrigation equipment which included aluminium pipes, a 20-horse power Mono pump, submersible pump and plates worth US$10 000.

It is said that when Ms Mukanganyama attempted to recover her allegedly stolen items, Mudede assembled the team of Support Unit police from Rhodesville, who allegedly went to intimidate and assault Ms Mukanganyama. Mudede was arrested on Wednesday and subsequently taken to court charged with theft.