Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Herald Reporter
SEVEN people who illegally occupied land belonging to Glorious, a developer, have been sentenced to five months’ imprisonment by Harare Magistrate Ruth Moyo.
The group, convicted of contravening the Regional, Country, and Town Planning Act, includes Bamusi Magaisa (56), Philip Kambuto (48), Joel Madziva (45), Isaac Wikiseni (49), Togarepi Mudzudza (46), Shelly Chapwanya (52), and Tatenda Ndlovu (23).
They were sentenced after a full trial, with one month of the six-month sentence suspended on condition of good behaviour.
Magistrate Moyo said the offence was severe, warranting up to a Level 7 fine, six months’ imprisonment, or both.
She highlighted the high moral culpability of Magaisa and Chapwanya, identified as the ringleaders.
Both had been allocated land by the developer and knew that Glorious Properties was the sole developer.
However, they exploited their positions to alter development plans.
The State, represented by prosecutors Mandirasa Chigumira and Nomsa Kangara, proved that between April 2024 and October 2024, the convicts unlawfully occupied, pegged, and allocated themselves residential stands at Cloverdale B of Galloway Estate in Goromonzi. They erected structures without permits or consent, violating development regulations.
Glorious Real Estate Pvt Ltd, trading as Glorious Properties, had an agreement with the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works to act as the sole developer for Cloverdale B of Galloway Estate. Despite this, the accused disrupted development efforts by illegally occupying the land, causing significant damage to infrastructure, including tarred roads, water pipes, and survey pegs.
During the victim impact assessment, Glorious Properties founder, Ms Petronella Kagonye, testified about the devastating effects of the illegal occupation.
The company had invested US$15 million into the project, suffering substantial financial and infrastructural losses.
Ms Kagonye highlighted the vandalism of infrastructure, the need for rebuilding, financial losses from court cases, and the severe impact on her mental and physical health.
The illegal occupation has hindered Glorious Properties from completing its development plans, resulting in significant delays and financial losses.
The occupation also disrupted ongoing work, forcing the developer to repair damaged infrastructure while facing additional legal costs. The sentence is expected to serve as a deterrent to others who might engage in similar unlawful activities.
