ZANU PF official allegedly used fake land permit in legal battle
n By Dumisani Ndlovu n nn n Charles Simbi, a senior member of the ZANU-PF Midlands Provincial Committee, has been accused of using a forged land permit to claim ownership of a disputed plot. n nn n Testifying before Gweru Magistrate Beaulit
anostrofy By Dumisani Ndlovu
Charles Simbi, a senior member of the ZANU-PF Midlands Provincial Committee, has been accused of using a forged land permit to claim ownership of a disputed plot.
Testifying before Gweru Magistrate Beaulity Dube, Gweru Rural Police station investigating officer Sergeant Kizito Mahachi said Simbi and his wife, Zodwa Thembinkosi Simbi, face counts of forgery and fraud.
“On the 20th of April 2024, I was allocated a case of illegal occupation of land at Mayfer Farm, Kanuck, reported at Gweru Rural Police under case number 81/04/24 by complainant Melvin Vann Gopal,” Mahachi told the court.
“I requested Kanuck settlers to avail their offer letters. On the 1st of May 2024, the second accused, Charles Simbi, came to Gweru Rural Intelligence Office and produced a document in the name of the first accused, Zodwa Simbi,”he said.
Mahachi said he sent the documents to the Ministry of Lands for verification.
“It was observed that the offer letter in respect of Zodwa Simbi was a forged and doctored document,” he said.
“Nyasha Manyakara, the District Lands Officer, and Edwin Shindi, the Vungu Rural District Council CEO, confirmed they did not allocate any land to the accused and doubted the signatures on the document,''he said.
Sergeant Mahachi added that on 8 May 2024, he retrieved the same offer letter from Kwekwe Magistrate Court records under case number KKGL394/23, where it had also been used.
“What made it different was that all other documents were handwritten, while the accused’s offer letter had the farm name and plot number typed in,” Mahachi said.
Gweru District cartographer Zivanayi Gayihayi testified: “Simbi was not on the list of those offered land by the District Land Committee.”
Manyakara also told the court that the document was a photocopy resembling a tenure document, but it is unlike any produced by our office.
"Our documents are handwritten and signed by the District Development Coordinator and the Vungu Rural District CEO. This one is typed. Most importantly, I do not recall offering the accused any land,”Manyakara said.
He added: “The date on the purported offer letter, 22 June 2014, was invalid because the land had already been reserved for a farmer named Mawere. If their claim were genuine, Zodwa Simbi’s name would appear on the official list of land beneficiaries maintained by our office.”
The duo who are on bail were remanded to 15 September 2025 pending
defense case proceedings.
