Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Weekender Reporter
TWO sisters are accusing their uncle, who returned home after a 30-year absence, of violently taking over their late father’s homestead, chasing relatives away with an axe and illegally parcelling out family land to strangers.
The emotionally charged hearing saw Tabitha and Agnes Munyaradzi accusing their uncle, George Munyaradzi, of re-turning to the family homestead after more than three decades, and allegedly attempting to seize land belonging to their late father, Beniasi Munyaradzi.
The matter appeared before Chief Mutasa’s court.
The sisters said George abandoned the family home nearly 30 years ago and settled in Gokwe with his family, only to return following their father’s death and claim ownership of the property.
Giving evidence before Chief Mutasa, Tabitha said the family had initially welcomed news of their uncle’s return, believing he wanted to reconnect with relatives after many years away.
“Our father, Beniasi Munyaradzi, has since passed away. Long before his death, our uncle George had already left the area and settled in Gokwe where he lived with his family for about 30 years. When we heard that he had finally returned, we were genuinely happy because we thought he wanted to reunite with the family,” she said, adding that events quickly took a different turn.
“Instead of rebuilding family relations, he moved into our late father’s homestead where our relatives were still living. He began forcing people out, including our grandchildren and the housekeeper we had employed to look after the property,” said Tabitha, further alleging that George became increasingly aggressive, often carrying an axe while threatening those living at the homestead.
“He would chase people around while carrying an axe and repeatedly ordered them to leave. One night, around mid-night, he threatened to kill the housekeeper. She became terrified and eventually resigned because she feared she would lose her life if she remained there,” she said.
She told the court that the caretaker had been employed because the family remained committed to preserving their ancestral home despite living in different places.
“We never abandoned our rural home. Although some of us live elsewhere, our brothers’ children and grandchildren still stay there. Two of my brothers have since died and their children continue living at the homestead. We employed a housekeeper to maintain our father’s home,” said Tabitha.
Her sister, Agnes Munyaradzi, supported the allegations.
“He sold five pieces of land. These pieces are now fenced with barbed wire and some of the new occupants have already built cabins and houses there. We were never consulted as the deceased’s children,” said Agnes, adding that matters worsened after she confronted him.
“When I told him that I would report the matter to Chief Mutasa’s court, he threatened me. He said he would deal with me spiritually. I took that as a serious threat because all I wanted was for our father’s property to be protected,” she said.
Responding to the allegations, George denied selling of the disputed land saying his actions were motivated by fears that the local authority intended to repossess the property because it was lying idle.
“I heard that the council wanted to reclaim the land. That is why I brought my grandchildren to occupy it. I did not sell the land. I simply allocated it to my grandchildren because I wanted to secure it,” said George, insisting that the land in question belonged to him rather than to his late brother.
He also explained why he had left the family home decades earlier.
“I went to live in Gokwe because Beniasi’s wife, who was the mother of these women, chased me away. After she died, my late father appeared to me in a dream and instructed me to return home. That is why I came back,” he said.
Chief Mutasa, however, dismissed George’s justification saying his conduct violated both customary practice and the law.
Chief Mutasa ruled that George had no authority to distribute land belonging to his deceased brother’s family, regardless of how long he had been away, and ordered him to reverse his actions and ensure that those illegally occupying the disputed land vacate it.
