The High Court sided with the government against two property owners who sued over land taken for road construction. Forbes Goka and Chipo Goka lost their case against the Transport Ministry. The couple claimed officials took more land than they agreed to sell. Justice Joel Mambara rejected their request to stop the construction work. The judge said the ministry paid fair compensation for all the disputed property.
The Gokas sold 555 square meters to the state for $251,070 in August 2022. They built a fence around their remaining property after the sale. Construction workers entered their fenced area in April 2025 and began building. The couple demanded the workers leave their land immediately. They asked the court to force the ministry to return the disputed area.
The Transport Ministry argued the sale actually covered 2,150 square meters of land. Officials said a paperwork mistake caused the confusion about the property size. The ministry claimed it paid the correct amount for all the land it needed. Justice Mambara found the couple had already left the property after receiving payment. The judge ruled that major road projects serve the public good more than individual property claims.
The Gokas sold 555 square meters to the state for $251,070 in August 2022. They built a fence around their remaining property after the sale. Construction workers entered their fenced area in April 2025 and began building. The couple demanded the workers leave their land immediately. They asked the court to force the ministry to return the disputed area.
The Transport Ministry argued the sale actually covered 2,150 square meters of land. Officials said a paperwork mistake caused the confusion about the property size. The ministry claimed it paid the correct amount for all the land it needed. Justice Mambara found the couple had already left the property after receiving payment. The judge ruled that major road projects serve the public good more than individual property claims.
