Zimbabwe: Tobacco Destroyed

Source from:  The Herald (Harare) March 21, 2007 04/06/2007

A SMALL-SCALE farmer from Mhangura allegedly ploughed down his neighbour's tobacco crop after the two failed to agree on a boundary separating their plots, a Chinhoyi magistrate heard yesterday. Tobias Tityei Bveza (58) appeared before Mr Ngoni Nduna facing two counts of malicious damage to property and one count of undermining police authority. Bveza allegedly destroyed Mr Frank Stedall's tobacco at Khosana Farm. Prosecutor Mr Vote Zishiri told the court that on December 16 2006, Bveza took his cattle and went to Mr Stedall's tobacco field. At the field, he allegedly ploughed down about one hectare of the crop. It is further alleged that Bveza went on to plant cotton seed in the same field. Mr Stedall was alerted of his neighbour's actions by one of his workers. He made a report to police who visited the farm to stop Bveza. Upon arrival at the farm, the police officers scampered for their lives when Bveza, brandishing an axe, allegedly chased them away. Bveza then allegedly struck Mr Stedall's car tyres with the axe while the police officers watched from a distance. He was only arrested after reinforcements were called in. Bveza allegedly damaged property worth about $3,2 million. In his defence, Bveza argued that Mr Stedall had initially ploughed down three hectares of his maize crop and one-and-a-half hectares of his cotton crop and so his actions were justified. He added that Mr Stedall's ownership of the piece of land was relinquished after he was evicted during the land reform programme. Judgment in the case will be passed next month on a date to be advised. Enditem