RUSAPE -- A Rusape farmer who has endured more than a week of intimidation and threats by land invaders was last Friday arrested for refusing to leave his farm.Koos Smit and his family had for most of last week remained locked inside their home, after a mob of youths invaded the property last Tuesday. The group, said to be hired by a Zanu (PF) official known only as Mr Mukomo, assaulted several of the Smits farm workers and sons in an effort to force the family to flee the property.
The youths then cut off all electricity and water supplies to the farm to try flush the family out of their home, where they remained locked inside until Thursday. The invaders also stopped the family feeding and watering their livestock.
The gang of invaders packed up their makeshift camp around the familys home on Thursday, ending a week-long tense standoff. The Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) president Deon Theron said that the youths had left, because they werent paid the promised fee for the invasion.
But the good news was short lived, when Smit was arrested last Friday morning. Theron told SW Radio Africa that while Smit and his family were holed up inside their home, Smit had been subpoenaed by the Rusape magistrates court to face charges for refusing to leave his farm.
But because Smit was all but trapped inside his property, which was surrounded by land invaders, he was unable to attend the court hearing. His arrest in Friday is now in connection with contempt charges for missing his court date. Smit has since been released on bail.
Post published in: Politics