Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
CHAIRMAN of Freedom Fighters Development Trust, Mr Tarwirei Sosono, has told the court that Eastwind Trust owners — Rodgers Pote (43) and Trymore Arineshito (39) — forged the signature of the Harare City Council housing director Addmore Nhekairo to steal their land in Donnybrooke.
He was testifying before Harare Magistrate Mr Tapiwa Banda.
Pote and Arineshito are facing charges of contempt of court and carrying out development without approval on an illegal settlement.
Mr Sosono said Pote and Arineshito were lying that they were allocated that land by council, prompting them to approach Mr Nhekairo, who disowned them.
He said the two were selling stands on that land using a letter that was disowned by Mr Nhekairo.
He said that as Freedom Fighters Development Trust, they applied for that land and were given the green light to start development by the City of Harare.
Mr Sosono said upon being authorised to start development, they engaged former Mount Pleasant MP Jason Pasade, who then completed all the work, including road construction.
He said Pote and Arineshito came from nowhere and started selling stands on the land after it had been developed.
During the previous sitting, Mr Pasade, who was the first State Witness, said Pote and Arineshito were in the habit of hiring thugs and bouncers to grab land at any place they wanted.
Mr Pasade told the court that the pair hired thugs who unleashed violence before grabbing land in which his company had developed and allocated stands.
“These guys are land barons and violence is in their DNA, they always use violence by hiring thugs to grab land,” he said.
It is the State’s case that Mr Pasade and his company entered into an agreement to develop land on behalf of the Freedom Fighters Development Trust.
Mr Pasade said his company started to carry out developments. Roads were opened while most developments were already at an advanced stage.
However, the accused persons started illegally selling and allocating stands in the area.
Mr Pasade’s company allegedly went to court and acquired a High Court order, which gave him the authority to remove the illegally settled people.
However, the accused persons did not vacate the stands, contrary to the court order. Prosecutor Takudzwa Mutyavaviri said on November 2023, the High Court issued a provisional order against Eastwind Trust.
After the order was granted, the accused were served by the Sheriff but continued invading the area in violation of the order.
