Posts filed under ‘Past’
Zimbabwean Vice President in court sued by Evicted White Farmer
The Vice President of Zimbabwe, Joyce Mujuru, and her husband Solomon Mujuru (ex head of the Zimbabwean Armed forces and reputed “King Maker”) are due in Court on Wednesday (14th March) in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare, where illegally evicted farmer Guy Watson-Smith sues for a default judgement against Zimbabwe’s “second family” for the illegal seizure of their moveable assets when they were forced to leave Alamein Farm a in 2001.
The Default judgement is being sought due to the persistent refusal of the defendants to enter a plea, or to respond to previous court orders or judgements against them.
Watson-Smith obtained a court order on 28th December 2001 against retired General Solomon Mujuru, two Cabinet Ministers and a local war veteran leader, Comrade Zhou for the return of equipment and property from his farm, from which Zhou and Mujuru had evicted him; however the court orders have never been executed due to refusal to comply, and threats.
Gill, Godlonton and Gerrans, the firm of Harare lawyers representing Guy Watson Smith, were attacked and assaulted following the original judgement.
Valuation of the moveable assets amounts to US$ 2.5 Million (This is not the land)
Related Information:
From the Telegraph UK : Published 23 Dec 2001
From the Evening Standard UK : Published 10 Feb 2003
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/
From the Institute of War And Peace Reporting: Published 26 January 2007
Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa: Report
http://www.osisa.org/node/7397
Commercial Farmers Union Press Release: January 2002
“You will know them by their fruits”:
“You will know them by their fruits”:
Is Zimbabwe’s CIO involved in the MDC split?
Sokwanele Report: 10 February 2006
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The bitter infighting that has been going on within the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) since the fateful meeting on October 12 last year has spawned any number of conspiracy theories. On the one side Gibson Sibanda, vice president of the MDC and Professor Welshman Ncube, secretary-general, stand accused of secretly conniving with South African President Thabo Mbeki to undermine MDC president Morgan Tsvangirai, needless to say to their own political and material advantage. On the other side Morgan Tsvangirai has been accused of colluding with ZANU PF in a plot executed by former army general Solomon Mujuru …
The rise to power …
Beyond Tsholotsho and Chiyangwa
12/01/04
(READ MTHULISI’S PREVIOUS ARTICLES)
WHILE the media have diligently covered the story of Zimbabwe’s Information Minister, Jonathan Moyo’s dwindling political fortunes following the ill-fated Tsholotsho meeting, the tone and line of reporting have generally tended to weigh down or ignore the real crux of the matter.
A much deeper analysis tracking the advent of “Tsholotsho” down to President Mugabe’s quarrelsome brand of politics and to his corrosive hold on the Zimbabwean body politic is evidently lacking, consequently handing the Zimbabwean ruler Mugabe unintended kudos in the process.
Farm Invasions and Security Report
COMMERCIAL FARMERS’ UNION
Farm Invasions and Security Report
31 December 2001
COMMERCIAL farmer Guy Watson-Smith, 51, shareholder of Hanagwe (Pvt) Ltd, owner of Elim and Alamein Farms in Beatrice, has been granted an Interim relief order by Justice Hungwe High Court Chambers, for the immediate return of all movable property, valued at over Z$ 120 million. The respondents will jointly share legal costs of the suit.
The provisional order sought to force Ministers of Agriculture, (Joseph Made) and Local Government, (Ignatius Chombo) responsible for Zimbabwe’s chaotic land seizures, a war veteran named as “Comrade Zhou” and General Solomon Mujuru. A lawyer representing Ministers, Made and Chombo attended the hearing but raised no objection to the order.
Family flees country as Mujuru invades farms
Daily News
Family flees country as Mujuru invades farms
12/25/01 12:36:47 PM (GMT +2)
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By Lloyd Mudiwa
GUY Watson-Smith and his family on Friday fled to South Africa after their two Beatrice farms were seized by Retired General Solomon Mujuru. Watson-Smith, 51, is a director and shareholder of Hanagwe (Pvt) Ltd which owns Alamein and Elim farms about 70km south of Harare.
The farmer fled the country hours before his lawyer filed an urgent application in the High Court. Watson-Smith is the Commercial Farmers’ Union ’s provincial chairman for Mashonaland East. “We were worried about our safety knowing Mujuru would be named in court papers which are in the public
domain,†he said from Pretoria, where he is staying with relatives. “We will stay in South Africa for as long as this takes.†Mujuru, 54, is a former commander of the army. This is the first case brought before the courts by a commercial farmer against a member of President Mugabe’s inner circle as a
result of seizure of land and assets.
Evicted farmer sues for return of £2m assets
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2001/12/24/wzim24.xml
Evicted farmer sues for return of £2m assets
By Peta Thornycroft in Harare
(Filed: 24/12/2001)
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ONE of President Robert Mugabe’s closest allies has evicted a white farmer from his land and seized assets estimated to be worth £2 million, according to court papers filed in Zimbabwe.
The farmer, Guy Watson-Smith, is launching the first legal action against any member of Mr Mugabe’s inner circle allegedly implicated in the illegal seizure of land and assets. Fearing for his safety, Mr Watson-Smith, 51, has fled to South Africa.
The target of his action is Gen Solomon Mujuru, also known as Rex Nhongo, the leader of Mr Mugabe’s Zanla guerrilla forces during the independence war. In post-independence Zimbabwe he went on to become army chief before leaving government service in 1995.
Mujuru - Official Mujuru website - Joice and solomon mujuru 