Six men from Joga Village in Hurungwe, Mashonaland West, have been convicted for destroying a homestead after a long-running dispute linked to ancestral land and spiritual claims.
The group was sentenced at the Karoi Magistrates’ Court after being found guilty of unlawfully demolishing a two-roomed house belonging to a fellow villager. The accused are Kingrose Madyara (58), Wilson Kamudungwe (58), Kavande Norman (50), Progress Madyara (35), Tapiwa Chipazaure (35) and Liberty Chipazaure (30).
Prosecutors told the court that the incident took place in April 2025, when the six men descended on the complainant’s house and tore it down using their hands. The destruction followed a disagreement that dates back to 2023, when the village head allocated the disputed piece of land to the complainant.
The complainant maintained that he was spiritually possessed by Goremusandu, a revered mhondoro spirit medium, which he said entitled him to settle on the ancestral land. The accused, however, dismissed the claim, branding it fraudulent, and chose to resolve the matter by force instead of pursuing legal channels.
In passing sentence, the magistrate handed each of the six men a 10-month jail term. Three months were suspended for five years, while an additional month was suspended on condition that they compensate the complainant for the damage caused.
The remaining six months were wholly suspended on condition that each offender completes 210 hours of community service.
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