The six family members who have been involved in illegal parcelling of land for money and cattle in Banket are actually President Robert Mugabe’s kinsmen, NewsDay has established.
By Staff Reporter
Charles (39), Luckymore (29), Learnmore (32), Gibson (45), Edwin (37) and Leonard Jenami (30) are all from the Chidziva family under the Gushungo clan.
Chief Zvimba, Stanley Mhondoro, yesterday confirmed that the Jenami people are indeed Gushungos under Chief Lancelot Chidziva, who is Chief Chidziva and is the father of one of the suspects, Gibson.
Gibson is a headman under his father’s leadership.
“Yes, they are Gushungos, under Chief Chidziva. I, however, don’t have much information about the case,” Chief Zvimba said.
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The Gushungo chieftainship revolves around the Chidziva (Jenami), Beperere and Chirau families. A close source, however, told NewsDay that Luckymore, Edwin, Learnmore, and Leonard are Julius Jenami’s children while Charles is born to his younger brother.
The source said Mugabe is a direct lineage of the Chidziva (Jenami) clan.
“Even Chief Chidziva, he has also been ordered by the provincial magistrate to return some cattle he used to charge his subjects at his traditional court,” the source said.
The six on Saturday appeared before Chinhoyi magistrate Patience Chirimo charged with fraud. They are jointly charged with Takawira Karemba (38), Tasara Maravanyika (44) and Lands ministry official Tendai Makwikwi (32).
The nine have been remanded to October 27 on $50 bail each.
They face 11 counts of fraud emanating from their having allegedly sold land in Banket involving more than $15 000 and an undisclosed number of cattle.
The State alleges that between February and June 15, on different occasions, one or more of the accused misrepresented to different people that they had the capacity to allocate farms. They would do this at Mafuta Farm in Raffingora.
Their victims fell prey following the misrepresentations and paid various amounts of money and cattle.
Preliminary investigations showed that Liveson Maravanyika (37) was prejudiced of ($2 160), Pemias Fakero ($1 881), West Makombe ($1 220), Chandafira Chabaya ($1 220), Michael Masarakufa ($1 100), Bernard Bininga
($3 585), Edmore Kamukone ($740), Taero Kamukone ($620), Nosta Ngirivani ($810), Shadreck Mafoti ($1 220) and Otiniel Muguti ($1 331).