Two brothers from Zimunya locked in a fierce land battle have taken their fight to court. The dispute pits Gwinyai Haadi Kuhudzai against Fungai Zengeni over land rights. Zengeni claims he inherited the property from his mother, who bought it years ago. He wants the court to stop Kuhudzai from putting poles on the land or blocking him from using it. But Kuhudzai says the land belongs to his family.
Kuhudzai believes his brother Stephen, who serves as village head, stands behind this legal action. He told reporters he had never met Zengeni before receiving court papers. The poles he placed mark boundaries for land that Chief Zimunya already ruled belonged to him. Court documents show Gwinyai inherited the property from his father after living away from home for many years.
The conflict turned violent last year when Gwinyai confronted Stephen about interfering with construction work. A fight broke out between them. Later that day, a group of men arrived in a small bus that crashed into Gwinyai's parked car. Fifteen attackers beat him unconscious, wrecked his home, broke his television, and stole money from his wife.
The attackers dumped Gwinyai at a police station after he heard them discuss killing him. He spent a week in the hospital recovering from injuries, but faced violence charges himself. A court later cleared him and ordered payment for damages he never received. Chief Zimunya stopped Stephen from selling the same land to someone else.
The case heads back to civil court for a ruling this week. Gwinyai asks for peace after fighting through proper legal channels. He wonders if justice exists after being dragged through courts despite winning previous cases. The state officially owns the disputed land.
Kuhudzai believes his brother Stephen, who serves as village head, stands behind this legal action. He told reporters he had never met Zengeni before receiving court papers. The poles he placed mark boundaries for land that Chief Zimunya already ruled belonged to him. Court documents show Gwinyai inherited the property from his father after living away from home for many years.
The conflict turned violent last year when Gwinyai confronted Stephen about interfering with construction work. A fight broke out between them. Later that day, a group of men arrived in a small bus that crashed into Gwinyai's parked car. Fifteen attackers beat him unconscious, wrecked his home, broke his television, and stole money from his wife.
The attackers dumped Gwinyai at a police station after he heard them discuss killing him. He spent a week in the hospital recovering from injuries, but faced violence charges himself. A court later cleared him and ordered payment for damages he never received. Chief Zimunya stopped Stephen from selling the same land to someone else.
The case heads back to civil court for a ruling this week. Gwinyai asks for peace after fighting through proper legal channels. He wonders if justice exists after being dragged through courts despite winning previous cases. The state officially owns the disputed land.
