Chegutu farmer Ben Freeth (Pictured), whose Mount Carmel farm has been under siege by land invaders for several months, was arrested on Monday morning, along with a group of international journalists.
Freeth and the crew from news service Al Jazeera were eventually released after being hauled into custody by police now stationed on the farm. The journalists were accompanying Freeth while he went to assess the damage of a recent fire that destroyed the homestead belonging to his father-in-law Mike Campbell, who he co-owns Mount Carmel with. The fire earlier this month came in the wake of a separate devastating fire that destroyed Freeths home, the houses of some of his workers and an on-site linen factory.
But when Freeth arrived at the remains of Campbells homestead, he and the journalists with him were immediately set upon by a group of policemen and apparent army officials wielding assault rifles. Freeth explained to SW Radio Africa shortly after being released from custody, that he is now no longer allowed on the Campbells side of the farm, because of an investigation, that police have said is private and confidential.
The investigation follows two explosions on the property last week, which have been widely speculated to be part of an attempt to charge Freeth and Campbell for weapons stockpiling. Freeth explained on Monday that he has witnesses who saw army personnel transporting explosives to the farm the day of the explosions. He said the whole situation is a deliberate attempt to get him and his family out of the way.
Post published in: News