Kondozi Farm worker shot by police

Kondozi Farm worker shot by police

ARDA has seized all machinery at Kondozi Farm

• Zim flogs farmers' equipment

• Nyambuya's workers desert farm

By Agencies

THE Transport Manager of the disputed Kondozi Estates has been shot and injured by police for driving a farm vehicle after the government seized the huge farm for resettlement.

Joseph Kapfidze who was doing coordinating duties in Mutare for the sister organisation Mitchell and Mitchell was detained over night at Mutare Central Police without treatment until the following day.

Vice President Joseph Msika's authority faced a test this week after state-owned Agricultural Development Authority (Arda) workers refused to vacate the hotly disputed farm, backed by ruling party lightweights.

After meeting a 70-member delegation comprising 28 chiefs and their headmen at his Munhumutapa offices last Thursday, Msika is understood to have issued a directive to Manicaland provincial governor Major-General Mike Nyambuya to ensure that Arda vacates Kondozi Farm.

Arda has demanded all the farm property.

Kapfidza was driving in Mutare town when police spotted the Kondozi vehicle and he was stopped. A police spokesman said Kapfidze refused a police instruction to stop and ignored warning shots before he was shot on the ankle through the driver's door.

But witnesses deny the police version of events. They said the police shot at the car and when it stopped they approached it and went on to assault him although it was clear to them that he was injured.

"Arda guards and some militia also kicked him all over his body in the presence of the police," a witness said.

Subsequently Kapfidza was taken to Mutare Central Police where he was detained over night. He was only released the following day through the intervention of Trust Maanda a human rights lawyer based in Mutare. Kapfidza was released without charge because it had come out that he was driving a company car.

The Herald today published a story suggesting the car was stolen.

"The man was arrested after police officers investigating the disappearance of assets at the farm after the Agricultural Rural Development Authority took over the property, spotted him driving the car near Mutare General Hospital," the paper said in it's distorted version of events.
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