VILLAGERS under Chief Njelele unsuccessfully tried to open a case against the chief, born Misheck Njelele, after he seized 19 cattle and six goats over various cases which were not resolved at his traditional court, Southern Eye has heard.
More than eight villagers lost livestock after the chief’s messengers, Milton and Thomas Nemangwe, approached them saying they have been convicted of collecting wood to construct cattle pens.
The villagers, who lost two cattle each, are Trynos Ncube, Nelson Ncube, Richard Dube, Kumbulani Dube, Learnmore Gomboza, Tawanda Chivete, including two others only known as Madzivire and Madzore.
They were accused of collecting dry wood.
Ninety-five-year-old Philimon Machaile from the Forest area under Chief Njelele was made to pay a penalty of three cattle after his nephew raped a local girl.
Nelson Ncube told Southern Eye that they were surprised to see the chief's messenger Milton Nemangwe and his group wielding a gun demanding the cattle despite having no knowledge of the offences they were paying for.
“We were surprised to see Milton demanding the cattle from us because there was no summon sent to us or a chief’s court we attended over the issue,” he said.
“He came with a gun and I do not know if the chief’s messengers are allowed to carry guns when they are collecting fines from villagers.”
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Ncube said he reported at Gokwe Central Police Station but the officer-in-charge refused to open a case against the chief.
The officer-in-charge said it was a criminal offence to raid subjects' cattle without summons but he refused to open a docket.
Ncube said on November 14 last year, Thomas came to the village again and demanded US$25 from the victims but he didn't provide receipts.
The cattle were raided on December 14, last year.
Ncube said they selected cattle to seized from a pen.
He said they asked to meet the chief, but Milton and Thomas denied them access to the traditional leader, insisting on seizing a goat from each of the eight victims.
Southern Eye contacted Milton, who referred the reporter to Chief Njelele saying they were only sent to effect summons.
“You can contact Chief Njelele. He is the one who sent us to collect the cattle,” he said.
“As for the gun, we don’t carry a gun when enforcing summons that is a lie.
“These villagers are actually nine and I only enforce the chief’s orders.”
Southern Eye also contacted Gokwe Central Police officer-in-charge Nqobani Ncube on the issue and he referred questions to national police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi, who, however, was not reachable until the time of going to print.
Chief Njelele was not picking calls .
The traditional leader is not new to controversy.
In 2011, he was arrested for alleged land deals.
He was accused of allegedly dividing a farm in Chemagora area into smaller pieces of land before selling them to home seekers without the farm owner’s consent.
He appeared before then Kwekwe magistrate Storey Rushambwa facing fraud charges for subdividing Farai Magadzire’s farm and selling the land.
