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Dr Chiyangwa

Target Shumba Herald Reporter
Thirteen land barons are on the police wanted list in connection with illegal sale of stands at Odar Farm, commonly known as Southlea Park located in Harare South and police are offering a reward for their arrest.

The 13 are understood to be part of a housing consortium comprising 56 corporates that illegally settled over 8 000 people at the farm.

The farm has been at the centre of an ownership wrangle pitting the consortium and Sensene, a subsidiary of businessman Dr Philip Chiyangwa’s Pinnacle Property Holdings.

Although the Government recently returned the farm and two other farms in the area to Dr Chiyangwa, the consortium has resisted moves by the business mogul to take over the farms.

The consortium officials are arguing that the decision by the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing to return the farms to Dr Chiyangwa was null and void.

The consortium contended that Dr Chiyangwa could not claim ownership of the farms since the land had been compulsorily acquired by Government as confirmed by both the Administrative Court and the Supreme Court.

The 13 on the police wanted list published in the press recently are Mr Benny T Matenga, Mr William Machiya, Pastor Manyonda, Mrs Lina Madzinga, Mr Lawson Vumba, Mr Tonderai Madziyire, Mr Kudzai Kwangware and Rtd Col Patson Mabika.

Others on the list are Mr Beaven Manyuchi, Mr Harry Muzondo, Mr Raphael Macheka, Mr Brian Masaka and Mr Gift Kazetete.

Apart from being on police wanted list, Pinnacle Property Holdings recently notified members of the public of the illegal dealings of the 13.

“We advise the public that the owners of Odar Farm/Southlea Park are Sensene Investments P/L, a division of Pinnacle Holdings, who are the legitimate owners who will be the authority to issue title deeds,” Pinnacle Property Holdings said in a statement published in the Press.

Dr Chiyangwa had refused to negotiate with the consortium offering instead to engage directly with the beneficiaries of the stands in relation to compensation while threatening to evict stand holders who refused to subject themselves to Sensene.

Government recently warned land barons involved in corrupt and illegal allocation of residential stands that they faced prosecution.