The tractors
belonged to a white farmer he was in a partnership with.
Ms Mashawakure
acquitted Matonga on the basis that the matter was a civil one emanating from a
breach of a joint venture agreement by the complainant.
She also said
there was no proof that Matonga had committed the offence adding that he had a
valid defence of claim of right to recover the tractors from the complainant.
Matonga was
arrested in June last year by Seruwe Police on allegations of stealing the
tractors from Mr Van Breda with whom he had a partnership agreement.
Matonga and Mr
Van Breda had a misunderstanding over allegations that Matonga wanted to seize
the latter’s farming implements.
He is also
expected to stand trial on two other similar cases, one involving over US$500
000 worth of farming implements from the same farmer.
Mr Innocent
Muchini of Muchini and Associates said he was hoping that his client will be
acquitted of the remaining cases.
In a related
matter, Matonga was arrested in July last year on theft charges involving
irrigation pipes and electricity transformers from Notayi Mutemasango of
Bosbury Farm in Chegutu.
According to
court papers, the complainant gave out his electric board and cables, 2 x 100
horse power pumps and a 75 horse power pump without an electric motor to be
used at Matonga’s farm during the joint venture.
The accused
then terminated the joint venture farming exercise and used Mutemasango’s
property for his benefit. Herald
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