HARARE – Chegutu West MP Dexter Nduna was released on bail Thursday after he was charged for invading a Mashonaland West farm in June.
His lawyer told a court in Chegutu that the charges were “politically engineered.”
The Zanu PF MP was arrested on Wednesday.
Prosecutor Beverley Madzikatire said Nduna faced charges of “occupying gazetted land without lawful authority.”
The charges stem from an incident on June 18 this year when thousands of people invaded Risboro farm near Chegutu town. The farm has been earmarked by the government for urban development under the Smart City project.
The prosecution alleges that Nduna was the leader of the farm invaders and that he, between June 18 and 25, illegally allocated land to the illegal settlers.
The MP’s lawyer said they would fight the charges, claiming they were part of a political plot.
Nduna was remanded to September 21.
The complainant in the matter is the Risboro Joint Committee made up of officials from Chegutu Municipality and Chegutu Rural District Council.
