Ministers threatened with arrest warrants in white farmer's case

Ministers threatened with arrest warrants in white farmer's case

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Posted to the web: 15/04/2009 02:58:59
A PROSECUTOR has urged a court to issue arrest warrants against Lands and Rural Resettlement Minister Herbert Murerwa and former Zanu PF MP Selina Pote if they fail to attend court in a matter in which the two are opposing the prosecution of a white farmer, court records showed Tuesday.

Chief Law Officer Tawanda Zvekare last week told Harare magistrate Enias Magate that arrest warrants should be issued to witnesses who fail to avail themselves in the court, in which Murerwa and Pote are expected to oppose the takeover of white farmer Digby Nesbitt’s property by top cop Senior Assistant Commissioner Edmore Veterai.

Veterai, who was the commander of the 2005 demolition of unplanned homes and businesses under Operation Murambatsvina, is now the officer commanding Matabeleland North Province.

Court papers list Murerwa and Pote among defence witnesses that Nesbitt would call next month to support his case against eviction.

Nesbitt claims that several government officials had assured him that his farm was not going to be seized for resettlement and these include Murerwa, former Masvingo governor Willard Chiwewe, current governor Titus Maluleke, former Senator Dzikamai Mavhaire, as well as Pote.

Nesbitt is accused along with 15 other farmers of refusing to vacate land designated for resettlement. He was ordered off the 127,342 hectare-farm in 2007 but has not done so, insisting he has a "verbal" agreement with government officials to stay.

He is back in court on Wednesday.

Last month, Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai said farm invaders would be arrested but President Mugabe and Murerwa have said there are no farm invasions in the country but just farmers refusing to leave land which has been allocated to black Zimbabweans.
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