Chinhoyi, June 21, 2025 – Nineteen individuals accused of unlawfully occupying gazetted land at Dandrennam Farm in Lions’ Den, near Chinhoyi, were granted bail on Friday by magistrate Nyasha Marufu. Each accused person was released on US$20 bail and ordered to remain at their respective residences while awaiting trial.
The group was arrested last Wednesday by authorities after they were allegedly caught erecting illegal structures on Brink Bosman Dandrennam Farm, Chinhoyi ,a property that is already officially allocated to a lawful beneficiary. According to a government letter issued by Obert Jiri, Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, the farm is legally held by Brink Bosman, making any occupation without his consent unlawful.
Despite this official clarification, the accused individuals are said to have moved onto the land and begun construction, prompting swift legal action and their subsequent appearance before the Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court.
In court, the accused were represented by lawyer Fortune Murisi, who successfully argued for their release on bail. Murisi submitted that all his clients had fixed residential addresses, posed no flight risk, and had not attempted to interfere with State witnesses. He stressed that the group had been cooperative with law enforcement throughout the arrest process and were committed to presenting themselves for trial.
“The accused persons have demonstrated that they are not a danger to the public or the judicial process,” said Murisi. “They have roots in the community and have offered bail deposits as an assurance of their intention to attend future court proceedings.”
Prosecutor Rutendo Ngambizi did not oppose the bail application, resulting in a relatively swift ruling by Magistrate Marufu.The accused are expected to return to court on July 3, 2025, when the trial into their alleged illegal land occupation will formally begin.
Nineteen Granted Bail Over Illegal Occupation of Chinhoyi Farm Amid Ongoing Land Dispute
At the heart of the legal battle is the ownership of Dandrennam Farm, a matter which has been the subject of controversy in recent months. The Ministry of Lands has reaffirmed that Brink Bosman is the legitimate beneficiary of the farm, and any other claims to the property are null and void unless sanctioned by the government.
The State argues that despite clear communication from the Ministry, the accused individuals willfully violated the law by invading and attempting to settle on the property without proper authorization.
Government authorities have reiterated the importance of respecting legal land allocations, especially in light of Zimbabwe’s efforts to stabilize the agricultural sector and ensure productive use of land.
This incident follows a similar attempt in April 2025, when Thomas Chidzomba, a former ZANU PF parliamentary candidate for Chinhoyi constituency in the 2023 general elections, led an invasion of the same farm. Chidzomba, along with four activists, moved onto the property and began occupation efforts that were later declared unlawful by the courts. They were removed after a successful court-ordered eviction.
While it remains unclear if the latest group of accused individuals is directly linked to Chidzomba’s earlier attempt, the repeated targeting of Dandrennam Farm has raised concerns over politically motivated land grabs and unresolved disputes within the land reform framework.
Community leaders in the Lions’ Den area have called on government institutions to enforce land ownership laws consistently, warning that repeated occupations fuel instability, damage investor confidence, and undermine efforts to improve food security through structured farming initiatives.
Legal analysts and agricultural experts have emphasized the need for stronger oversight and enforcement mechanisms to prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents. They argue that while Zimbabwe’s land reform program has sought to redress historical imbalances, it must also uphold legal certainty and property rights to attract investment and promote agricultural productivity.
“This is not just a matter of who owns what piece of land,” said one agricultural policy expert. “It’s about establishing a transparent and accountable system that ensures land is used for national development rather than political gain.”
As the nineteen accused await trial, the spotlight remains firmly on the Dandrennam Farm dispute—a case that underscores broader tensions in Zimbabwe’s ongoing land reform landscape and the challenge of balancing economic development with social justice.
Source- Bulawayo24
