Beneficiaries are actors too.pdf - Southern Institute of Peace ...

the land US$750.00. Mudzi laid the condition that either Huni
pays the money or vacates his stand. The chief's court dealing
with the case resolved that Mudzi was at fault in selling farm land
to Huni because the custodian of all rural land was the chief. The
traditional court agreed that Mudzi pays back half the amount he
had already received from Huni for land was not supposed to be
bought and sold. The court told him that he had sold his
homestead and the farmland was being repossessed by the chief
who would distribute it to needy people. By selling the land Mudzi
had shown that he did not need it. Mudzi reported the same case
to the magistrates' court who told him that the chiefs' decision
would stand because he (Mudzi) did not have title deeds to the
land.
Case 3 – Cattle graze in a crop field
This was reported at chief Chounda's court. Jeremiah demanded
a tonne of maize at harvest as compensation from Washaya after
Washaya's cattle fed on his crops. The chief tasked a local
Agriculture Research Extension (AREX) officer together with the
chief's two selected elders to visit the field and assess the damage
caused by Washaya's cattle. The verdict reached after the
assessment was that Washaya would pay two bags of maize
because the AREX officer alleged that the whole crop without
being grazed would not yield a tonne.
Case 4 – Adultery
Mupona reported to the traditional court at chief Mazano that he
caught Masango with his wife (Mupona's wife) in a compromising
position in his garden. The garden is 200 metres away from
Mupona's homestead. Mupona said he followed his wife to the
garden when he thought she had stayed too long. He brought a
pant to the court which he claimed was Masango's which he had
left behind when he escaped from the garden in panic. Masango
refuted the allegations vehemently and eloquently, pointing out
that Mazano was fabricating. Mupona's wife also denied the
allegations levelled by her husband. The traditional court
dismissed the case as lacking in evidence. Masango threatened to
report the accuser to the same court on allegations of soiling his
name.
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