The Messenger of Court in Beitbridge has accused police of backtracking in enforcing a High Court order to accompany him to remove a fence illegally erected by Home Affair co-minister Kembo Mohadi’s family at a disputed farm in the district.
The Zimbabwe Republic Police falls under Mohadi’s ministry.
The Messenger of Court, Nkululeko Milidi Mbedzi, said he had given the Mohadis up to last Friday to remove the fence on their own or he would go and remove it himself.
However, when Mbedzi went to Beitbridge Police Station last Friday, he was reportedly denied police escort after the latter advised him they wanted to “clarify something” before carrying out the order.
“They told me that they wanted to clarify something and asked me to give them my particulars and a copy of the order, which I did. After that, they advised me that they would come back to me later, I don’t know, maybe on Monday (yesterday) or any other day in the week,” said Mbedzi.
The Beitbridge police commander, Lawrence Chinhengo, was not reachable for comment as his mobile phone went unanswered yesterday.
However, his deputy, Conrad Manayi, who is said to be handling the matter, said he was not aware of the latest development.
“I am not at work. I don’t even know about it. Someone must have been mistaken,” said Manayi.
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But Mbedzi yesterday insisted the police had asked him to submit his identity card and a copy of Bulawayo High Court judge Justice Lawrence Kamocha’s order.
The minister’s family has been accused of defying a previous High Court order to pull down the fence at their own cost.
In February, Justice Kamocha ordered the Mohadis to remove the fence after he ruled in favour of the four villagers whom the minister is locked in a legal wrangle with.
He also ordered the police in Beitbridge to assist in effecting the court order.
On Tuesday last week, the Mohadis suffered another legal blow after three villagers with whom they are embroiled in the farm ownership wrangle were acquitted of charges of cutting the fence.
The villagers were arrested in December last year after Mohadi’s son, Campbell Junior, and the minister’s wife, Senator Tambudzani Mohadi, made a report that the villagers had cut the fence at the disputed farm to allow their livestock to enter the property
