In a shocking display of judicial leniency, the High Court in Masvingo has removed from the roll a land dispute case involving Provincial Affairs Minister Ezra Chadzamira, accused of seizing a widow’s property to build a private school. Because, you know, justice delayed is justice denied – especially when you’re a powerful government minister.

The case, which has been dragging on for years, involves Chadzamira’s alleged illegal occupation of a property belonging to the late Farai Mutsetse’s widow in Morningside, Masvingo. Despite the widow’s proof of ownership, including water bills and municipal charges dating back to 2009, Chadzamira began constructing a private school on the site in 2024.

Justice Helena Charewa cited procedural issues as the reason for removing the case from the court roll, effectively putting the widow’s quest for justice on indefinite hold. This move has sparked concerns about the country’s judiciary and its ability to hold powerful individuals accountable.

The case is not an isolated incident. He has been implicated in a previous land grab, seizing Cresta Ibeka, a farm and mansion, from a 66-year-old widow, Yvonne Goddard, leaving her homeless. No consequences followed.

This phenomenon, dubbed “catch and release,” has become a hallmark of Zimbabwe’s compromised judicial system, where well-connected individuals are arrested, only to have their cases quietly dismissed or indefinitely delayed.

The widow, supported by documentary evidence, has petitioned the court to stop further construction and evict Chadzamira. She also accuses Masvingo City Council of complicity, alleging that key documents from her property file have mysteriously disappeared.

As the case hangs in the balance, one thing is clear: justice has been delayed once again. Will it be denied altogether?

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