By Mary Taruvinga
FORMER Grain Marketing Board (GMB) chief executive officer and ally to former State President Robert Mugabe, Samuel Tendai Muvuti and his wife Joylyn have been caged three months each after they were convicted for breaching a court order barring them from interfering with Rosters’ Farm which belongs to one Grant Peal.
However, High Court Judge, Benjamin Chikowero gave the couple an option to vacate the farm within 24 hours to avoid a custodial sentence.
According to prosecutors, the couple chased away farm workers and threatened to kill them if they ever returned following a disagreement with Peal before they went on to lock warehouse at the farm.
This prompted Peal to file for an order seeking the couple to be incarcerated as they were in breach of another order barring them from interfering with his activities at Rosters Farm.
Facts giving rise to the relief attained is that Muvuti, his wife and Rosters Farm entered into a joint venture agreement in 2017.
Rosters Farm had undertaken to work with the owner to enhance the farming operations on the farm.
During the implementation of the aforesaid agreement, a dispute arose between parties.
As a result, the applicant (Rosters Farm) instituted legal proceedings against the couple.
Muvuti and his wife were then barred from interfering with Rosters Farm operations at Holmehead Farm in Mvurwi.
In contemptuous violation of the said order, on or around April 23, 2019, the respondents approached the applicant’s employees and threatened them with violence unless they handed to them the keys to the workshop in which the applicant keeps its farming equipment,” reads Rosters Farm court application.
The court heard the employees succumbed to the threats and handed over the keys.
Muvuti and his wife then locked the storeroom containing harvested tobacco which the complainant intended to take to the market.
“As a result, the tobacco is still stuck in the storeroom. The risk of losing it cannot be over-emphasised,” wrote the complainant.
The court also heard that on the same day, the couple barred Rosters Farm representatives from entering the farm.
