The matter in which a Chipinge white commercial farmer
Richard Le Vieux is facing charges of failing to vacate part of Lot 1 Farfell
Farm to pave way for Manicaland Provincial Affairs minister Ellen Gwaradzimba’s
son is being discussed at the “highest level”, the court heard yesterday,
leading to its postponement to June 28.
The matter was heard in the chambers yesterday before
Chipinge magistrate Farai Gwitima, with both Remembrance Mbudzana, the son of
Gwaradzimba, and Le Vieux in attendance.
Le Vieux’s lawyer Norman Mugiya, however, told journalists
that the State’s papers were in shambles.
“The matter has been deferred to June 28, 2019 as the
provisional date or interim date. One of the reasons is that the State papers
are not in order. There are serious legal challenges we raised and the State
said that they are going to address the matter,” he said.
“The other issue is that there are negotiations at the
highest level of government. I am sure on the next date this matter will be
deposed off.”
Le Vieux is a retired Swiss banker, who has reputable
business of exporting coffee, avocados and macadamia nuts for the past 30
years.
Mbudzana is claiming that he was early this year allocated
Lot 1 Farfell Coffee Estate by the Lands ministry.
“I know the accused person, namely Richard Le Vieux as a
director of Farfell Coffee Estate referred as the first accused person. On
January 10, 2019, I successfully applied for A2 model resettlement and I was
allocated land by the acquiring authority of Lot 1 Farfell Coffee Estate,
Chipinge, measuring 229,4 hectares through an offer letter,” he said.
“I immediately approached the provincial lands officers,
who took me to the said land. I was shown the boundaries of the farm physically
against a respective map which I also now see before the court as exhibit.” Newsday
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