HARARE - Magistrate Kudakwashe Jarabini last week convicted and ordered a Beatrice commercial white farmer, Mark Ford Surtees, to vacate Xekene farm and pave way the for G. Mafuratidze. Jarabini found Surtees guilty of contravening the Gazetted lands Act and sentenced him to a wholly suspended five months jail term and directed him to vacate the 590 hector land by the end of October.
“Surtees was issued with several notices to vacate the farm but ignored. He was supposed to have left the farm on February 5, 2007 but he continued staying on the state-acquired land in contravention of the Act. By his refusal and continued stay at the farm the new farmer was heavily prejudiced, reads part of the court record.
Surtees was represented by Fadzai Mahere of Gallop and Blank, while Tapiwa Kasema stood in for the state.