The High Court has authorised businessman and politician Philip Chiyangwa to evict more than 59 illegal occupiers of his Old Citrus Farm outside Chinhoyi.
The invaders had approached the High Court seeking to stop their eviction from the farm that was gazetted in accordance with the law and allocated to Chiyangwa at the height of land reform.
Their invasion of the farm was in violation of In terms of Section 3 of the Gazetted Lands and Consequential Provisions Act which prohibits continued occupation of gazetted land 90 days after the gazetted date.
They have been resisting eviction from the farm claiming they were in peaceful and undisturbed possession of the pieces of land they occupied, according to The Herald.
They accused Chiyangwa of using a court order to evict them when they were not allegedly cited in the order.
After failing to evict them, Chiyangwa had them arrested for contravening the law ensuring that those possessing gazetted land had to leave.
After listening to arguments from both parties, Justice Muzofa ruled that the invaders’ right to occupy the land could only be proved by showing that they were in possession of an offer letter, permit or land settlement lease.
They possessed none of these.