Good Samaritan locked out of own home

Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
A MAN’S act of kindness has backfired disastrously, leaving him homeless after the very stranger he sheltered allegedly seized control of his rural homestead.
The dispute surfaced at Chief Mutasa’s community court, where Marondera based Samuel Nyambudzi dragged his former house help, Shelton Toro, before the traditional bench.
Nyambudzi told the court that what began as a goodwill gesture—offering Toro a place to stay and later entrusting him with care taking duties—has now turned into a bitter property wrangle.
According to Nyambudzi, the relationship soured after Toro was dismissed from employment.
Instead of vacating the premises, Toro allegedly entrenched himself at the homestead, locking Nyambudzi out and behaving as though he were the rightful owner.
Nyambudzi explained that the arrangement had initially been a practical solution: while he worked in Marondera, Toro was tasked with safeguarding his rural home in Mutasa.
But what was meant to be a protective measure has now spiralled into a battle for control, with Nyambudzi claiming he has been denied access to his own property.
“Since I work in Marondera and stay there with my family, I looked for someone to be a caretaker at my rural home. That is how I ended up employing this young man,” explained Nyambudzi.
“I told him that he would stay just like my son. His duty was simply to be a caretaker. He had the freedom to do whatever he wanted, even to look for other piece jobs, as long as he stayed at my place,” he said, adding that over time, he began giving Toro an allowance to support him.
However, the arrangement allegedly turned sour.
“Now he does not want to see me there. He denies me access to my home. I went there last Tuesday, and he locked me out as if I was an intruder. For five days, I could not sleep in my own home. Ever since I introduced him to my son, he now claims that his employer is my son and not me,” said Nyambudzi, further alleging that Toro had taken possession of the house keys and was verbally abusive whenever he attempted to enter the property.
“He insults me. He claims that I owe him money, which I am not aware of. He chased me away. I no longer have access to my own home,” he said.
The situation has also affected Nyambudzi’s son, John, who was seconded to the rural home to oversee family projects and assist with operations.
“My father instructed me to take charge of our rural home, and that is how I met Toro. I started a banana plantation project there, but everything has changed,” said John, alleging that Toro’s behaviour had become increasingly hostile, making it impossible for the family to carry out their activities.
“He no longer listens to us. Even when I call him, he becomes violent. At first, he was a good person, but now he walks around with the keys, locking my father out and acting as if we are working for him. He will not let us work on our own land,” he said.
However, Toro dismissed the allegations, insisting that he did not bar anyone from accessing the property, and that the accusations were being exaggerated.
“This man employed me as a caretaker at his home. Last year in August, he came with another young man, John, whom he claimed was my new employer,” Toro said in his defence.
Toro maintained that the issue of access was being misunderstood.
“I never chased him away. Yes, I lock the door, but everyone has their own key. He should be able to unlock it with his key. Why should I be the one to open for him?” he said.

Despite his defence, the court heard that tensions between the parties had escalated, with both sides accusing each other of misconduct and dishonesty.
Chief Mutasa expressed concern over the breakdown of trust between the employer and employee, noting that such disputes could easily spiral into larger conflicts if not resolved promptly.
In a preliminary ruling, the chief ordered the Nyambudzi family to reclaim control of their property by retrieving their keys and ensuring that proper access was restored.
“The family must take back their keys and re-establish order at their homestead,” he said, further instructing that Toro be paid any outstanding dues, if there were any, to avoid further grievances that could fuel the dispute.
“If there is any money owed to him, it must be settled. At the same time, the family should look for another employee to avoid continued conflict,” said Chief Mutasa.
However, the chief indicated that the matter was far from resolved, revealing that his court would conduct further investigations to establish the root cause of the conflict and determine whether there were any underlying issues contributing to the situation.
“This court will look deeper into the matter to understand why there is such hostility between the two parties. We need to establish the truth so that justice is served,” he said.