A landlord from Gweru has received a four-month prison sentence, wholly suspended by a magistrate, for assaulting his tenant over unpaid rent.
Jonah Banda (40), from Ascot in Gweru, appeared before the Gweru Magistrates’ Court to face assault charges.
The court heard that on October 1, 2024, at around 12:45 PM, the complainant, a tenant in Banda’s residence, was sewing clothes in the sitting room when Banda knocked on the door and entered before she could respond.
Banda demanded payment for the overdue rent, but when the complainant explained that she had no money, he became enraged. In a violent outburst, he pulled a screwdriver from his pocket and stabbed her twice in the head.
The complainant promptly reported the incident to the police, leading to Banda’s arrest.
Ultimately, he was sentenced to four months in prison, with the sentence suspended on the condition that he does not commit a similar offence within the next five years.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Pindula News

A landlord in Gweru went to court for hitting his tenant who didn't pay rent. The tenant was sewing when the landlord came in demanding rent. The tenant said she had no money and the landlord got angry. He took out a screwdriver and hurt the tenant. The tenant went to the police, and the landlord got a 4-month prison sentence, but didn't go to jail if he doesn't do it again for 5 years. This happened in October 2024.

Landlord Assaults Tenant Over Unpaid Rent In Gweru

A 37-year-old Bulawayo landlord was on Friday sentenced to nine months in jail for assaulting a tenant following a dispute over a rental increase, reported the <a href="https://www.newsday.co.zw/southerneye/local/article/200019453/landlord-jailed-for-assaulting-tenant">Southern Eye</a>.
Clive Mandipe pleaded not guilty to the assault charge when he appeared before magistrate Themba Chimiso but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence adduced by the tenant, Dominic Dube.
Dube sustained serious injuries as a result of the assault.
The court heard that on 04 July 2023, at around 6 PM, the two were at their residence in Bellevue where Mandipe informed his tenant that he had hiked the rentals.
Dube protested the rental hike resulting in an altercation between the two.
Mandipe assaulted Dube with a knuckle duster on his head.
Dube suffered severe injuries because of the attack and was taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
A report was made to the police leading to the landlord’s arrest.
More: <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Landlord Imprisoned For Assaulting Tenant

A 34-year-old man from Nkulumane suburb in Bulawayo allegedly killed his landlord for evicting him from his house.
The landlord, Mgcini Sibanda (44), was found dead on a toilet seat on 19 March after he was assaulted by his tenant the previous day.
ZRP spokesperson in Bulawayo Province, Inspector Abednico Ncube said Mnkandla fled after committing the alleged offence. He said:
<blockquote>
On 18 march 2023 at around 11 PM, the now deceased Mgcini Sibanda a male adult aged 44 years had a misunderstanding with the accused person over an issue of why he was still staying in his house while he had given him notice in January 2023.
The accused person assaulted Mgcini Sibanda with an unknown object and he sustained injuries but did not report the matter to the police nor did he seek medical help.
The accused person ran away soon after committing the offence. The deceased was found the following day by a neighbour dead whilst sitting on the toilet seat. A police report was then made.
He had two cuts on the forehead consistent to have been caused by a sharp object, bruises on both knees and blood stains on the left arm.
</blockquote>
He urged members of the public to resolve their disputes amicably instead of taking the law into their own hands.
More: <a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/">Pindula News</a>

Tenant Kills Landlord Over Eviction Notice

A Tenant in Northend, Bulawayo, has been taken to court by the relatives of the owner of the house after he allegedly refused to vacate the house.
The tenant, Brian Chitsungo, is also accused of refusing to pay rent for a year and a half.
The family of the landlord also allege that they had issued Chitsungo with an eviction notice which he refused to comply with.
Zwelithini Malinga, who has the power of attorney over the property, said:
<blockquote>
Mr Chitsungo did not have a healthy relationship with Mrs Susan Magaramombe (mother to the owner of the house).
He would tell her not to put pressure on him to pay rent and at times exchange harsh words with her.
There was a time when the roof was leaking, Mr Chitsungo contacted us, and we instructed someone to go over and fix it, however, the person might have delayed.
This resulted in the tenant getting it fixed at his own expense and sending us a receipt for the costs stating that we should pay him as soon as possible without fail.
</blockquote>
Malinga said that Chitsungo has not paid rent from November 2020 up to the end of March this year and efforts to evict him from the house have hit a brick wall. He added:
<blockquote>
Mr Chitsungo said we can take him to any court in Bulawayo, he is not scared.
He is not cooperating, we have tried to have civil dialogue with him but it has been fruitless, and he has also put other tenants inside the house as well.
</blockquote>
However, Chitsungo said he owes the family nothing because he repaired the house and they have failed to reimburse him for the expenses incurred. He said:
<blockquote>
I have stayed in that house for 10 years and the problem started when my property was damaged by the rains last year.
They refused to pay me back and I do not owe them anything.
</blockquote>
He also said he was not given any notice and only heard about it when they wanted to arbitrarily evict him.
The matter is still pending.
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/man-refuses-to-pay-rent-for-whole-year/">The Sunday News</a></h4>

Tenant Resists Eviction After 'Refusing' To Pay Rent For Whole Year

A Bulawayo magistrate said landlords should stop the arbitrary eviction of their tenants as this violates the country’s laws.
Bulawayo Western Commonage resident magistrate Shepard Munjanja said this before granting a tenant protection order against his landlord last week.
The applicant, Eloff Ncube and the accused, Mduduzi Moyo of 8824 Pumula East appeared before magistrate Munjanja last week.
Ncube told the court that he was being harassed by his landlord into leaving his lodgings before the expiry of the three months’ notice that he had been verbally given. He said:
<blockquote>
My landlord asked me to leave his house and we verbally agreed on three months’ notice which was effective from 15 October to 15 January next year.
But my landlord has now been harassing me to move before that date and even hired bouncers to force me to leave which is why I have come before the courts for reprieve.
</blockquote>
Opposing Ncube’s application for a protection order against him, Moyo said his tenant was lying about his notice period. He said:
<blockquote>
Ncube came to me desperate for accommodation telling me that his belongings were no longer safe and he needed a place to stay.
I gave him a place to stay and when I decided that it was time for him to leave, I gave him three months’ notice.
We had a verbal agreement on 29 August this year that he would be out by 29 November but he came to me and said he was having logistical difficulties and asked for a little more time which I granted him.
But now he is still there and is saying we agreed that he should move out by 15 January which is not true.
</blockquote>
Munjanja however granted the protection order against Moyo and ordered him to allow his tenant to rundown his three-month notice while granting the latter a protection order against harassment.
He also advised Moyo to seek a court order before evicting his tenant ahead of the given three months notice. Said Munjanja:
<blockquote>
I grant the order in favour of the applicant and advise you to seek a court order should he fail to leave by January 15.
Only through the courts can a tenant be evicted and I urge you and other landlords to bear this in mind.
</blockquote>
<h4>More: <a href="https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/magistrate-warns-landlords-against-arbitrary-evictions/">The Sunday News</a></h4>

Bulawayo Magistrate Warns Landlords Against Arbitrary Evictions

Thamu Sibanda of Bulawayo’s Old Luveve suburb is reported to have placed a corpse in a room which he was renting out to Grace Rave. The corpse belonged to Charlie Tembo, a man who had died while attending a party at Sibanda’s house. After making a police report, Sibanda placed Tembo’s body in Rave’s room arguing that it was too hot outside. Sibanda also justified his decision saying Rave owed two months rent. Said Sibanda
<blockquote>I was right to place the corpse in her room because it was too hot outside and Rave had not paid rent in two months.
Therefore, we cannot say the room was hers</blockquote>
However, Rave did not take this kindly and has since decided to move. Said Rave:
<blockquote>I was shocked when I found the house full of mourners. I thought maybe something had happened to my son but I was surprised to find a dead man inside my room.
Sibanda and his family knew what they were doing when they placed a corpse inside my room. I am starting to think that maybe they wanted to put the whole blame on me.</blockquote>
Tembo has since been buried.
More: <a href="http://www.b-metro.co.zw/man-places-corpse-in-tenants-room/">BMetro</a>

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