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Leading private land developer, River Valley Properties, is embroiled in a land dispute with a Gweru man who is accusing the company of having fraudulently acquired his farm and developing it without his consent.
Mr Joseph Bako of Mkoba 17, has since written a letter of complaint to Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Owen Ncube and copied it to the Officer Commanding Police in the Midlands Province, Senior Assistant Commissioner Abigail Moyo and the Provincial Intelligence Officer.
River Valley Properties has also responded to Mr Bako’s claims through their Lawyers, Ncube Attorneys, accusing him of previously occupying the land in dispute as a squatter. The Herald is in possession of both letters.
In his letter, Mr Bako claimed the private developer took the land, used the influence of the then Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister Jason Machaya to take his farm and promised him $75 000 cash among other benefits.
“I was the owner of a piece of land popularly known as Sengejira, but otherwise legally known as Lot 3 of Gwelo Small Holding Farm in what is now known as Woodlands Park.
“This letter has been prompted by the response I got from the Zimbabwean Government when I wrote a letter to the Minister of State (Midlands Province).
“I had written to him complaining that the government was taking too long to compensate me for the loss of my farm, which had been expropriated.
“The Minister then indicated to me that the Government had not taken the farm and I was advised to identify who had taken the land and claim compensation,” read part of the letter by Mr Bako.
In the letter, he further alleged that former Midlands Provincial Affairs Minister, Machaya and River Valley Properties informed him that his farm had been possessed in terms of the Urban Councils Act and was earmarked for urban expansion.
“Compensation by Mr Machaya was however, promised and it was to take the following form;
“Another farm on the outskirts of town, a house in low density suburb, stands on a four hectare piece of land (low density), four-roomed house at the new farm and $75 000 in cash.
“To date, no compensation has been given to me. I was carrying out farming activities at the farm and also running a thriving beer hall and a tuck-shop. All these have been destroyed including the physical structures and yet still no compensation,” said Mr Bako.
In their response, River Valley Properties dismissed the allegations as false and defamatory. They said Mr Bako was a squatter at the said piece of land with no legal papers to confirm he was the owner.
The company further argued that they bought the land from the legitimate owner of the farm and even offered Mr Bako a residential stand for free so that he ceases to be a squatter.
“Our client is in possession of the relevant acquisition and transfer documents pertaining to the land afore described. Never at any time did such land become subject to expropriation by the state, let alone so expropriated by the (former) Midlands Provincial Minister (Machaya) and at our behest.
“In any case, we are advised that at some point, you took unlawful occupation of the private land afore described and never at any time acquired any form of title over that land recognised at law,” read part of the response by the company’s lawyers.
Woodlands Park is now a thriving suburb with over 5 000 residential stands that have been occupied by individual owners.
Online Reporter