The Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) has secured freedom for three villagers, who had been summoned to stand trial at a court in Bulawayo on charges of illegally occupying state land without lawful authority on a piece of land, which they claim to be legally settled on.
The three villagers, namely Stanley Dhlamini, Viola Magutshwa and Nkosizile Khumalo, who live in Greenlands village in ward 22 in Insiza Rural District Council in Matabeleland South province, were summoned to stand trial at Tredgold Magistrates Court in Bulawayo on 13 January 2026 and answer to charges of occupying gazetted land without lawful authority.
It had been alleged that Dhlamini, Magutshwa and Khumalo occupied some land without lawful authority in Insiza sometime in 2017.
However, the three villagers, who were represented by Jabulani Mhlanga of ZLHR, deny the charges and insist that they were legally settled at Greenlands village and possess official documents through which they pay the prescribed taxes to the Insiza Rural District Council.
The trio was set free on 13 January 2026 after prosecutors noted that the prosecution of the villagers was not in order, and they were advised that if need be, they will be summoned to stand trial once the National Prosecuting Authority puts its house in order.
The Insiza villagers become the latest victims, who in recent years have been arrested by Zimbabwe Republic Police officers and charged for allegedly occupying gazetted land without lawful authority, a charge which most accused persons deny as they argue that they are in legal occupation of their land.
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