EIGHT men who were arrested while erecting a barbed wire fence at the late national hero and diplomat Tichaona Jokonya’s were on Wednesday remanded in custody before the courts set trial date for Monday.
The accused, who are allegedly working with an army colonel to invade part of the 424-hectare Elvington Farm, popularly known as KwaJokonya, were arrested two weeks ago and charged with criminal trespassing.
The farm has title deeds and was purchased by the late Jokonya in 1992.
The accused are Cephas Ndiripo (47), Newton Mafoti (46), Honest Tarugarira (30), Ashley Chimbare (22), Dean Nyagona (26), Naison Mbara (23), Panashe Weju (23) and Aaron Mushamu (30).
The courts also ordered law enforcement officers to verify the accused’s residence addresses and an offer letter which they were claim was issued by the Lands ministry.
According to court papers, on June 6, police were notified of the farm invasion, but the suspects fled from the scene after police arrived.
On June 25, the accused returned to the farm and continued to erect a barbed wire fence before the farm manager notified the police of their presence.
The eight men were arrested before telling the police that they were contracted to erect the barbed wire fence by one Shadrack Chimbare, who stays in Chivhu.
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Chimbare is reportedly working under instructions of army colonel, Kennedy Makavange, according to the Jokonya family.
Jokonya died in his hotel room in Harare and was declared a national hero.
He was Zimbabwe’s ambassador to the United Nations before the then President Robert Mugabe appointed him Information minister in 2005 upon his return from the diplomatic mission.
He was buried at the National Heroes Acre in Harare.
