Ex-MP accuses suspected land barons of trying to overturn High Court order

Former Mount Pleasant legislator Jason Pasade has accused Eastwind Trust owners, Rodgers Pote and Trymore Arineshito, of attempting to manipulate the lower courts to reverse a High Court eviction order in an ongoing case involving illegal land development.

Pote and Arineshito are facing charges of contempt of court and unlawful development on land that was not officially allocated to them.

Testifying during cross-examination on Tuesday, Mr Pasade said the accused were using their defence strategy to pressure the court into overturning a valid High Court ruling which ordered their eviction from the contested land.

"They are simply trying to force the court to overrule a decision that has already been made by the High Court," Pasade said.
"To date, they have lost four similar cases at the High Court."

The case, which has drawn attention due to its implications on illegal settlements and land baronism, was postponed to May 13 for continuation of trial.

In earlier court sessions, Mr Pasade presented an affidavit from Harare City Council's Director of Housing, Mr Addmore Nhekairo, who disassociated the accused from any legitimate land allocation, stating he had never allocated land to Eastwind Trust or its directors.

The disputed land lies in Ruwa, where Mr Pasade's company, Homegram Investments Limited, was developing property on behalf of the Freedom Fighters Development Trust.

According to Mr Pasade, his company began legal developments in 2020, including opening roads and preparing infrastructure. However, he claimed that Eastwind Trust began illegally selling and allocating stands on the same land without approval.

In response, Homegram Investments secured a High Court order mandating the removal of the illegal occupants. Despite this, Mr Pasade said the accused continued to defy the order, resulting in contempt of court charges.

Court documents show that in November 2023, the High Court issued a provisional order against Eastwind Trust. The order was served by the Sheriff of the High Court, but the accused allegedly continued to allocate land in breach of the court directive.

The State is arguing that Pote and Arineshito's actions are a blatant disregard of judicial authority and a threat to orderly urban development.

The matter continues to unfold as Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to crack down on land barons and restore order in urban and peri-urban settlements.