Judge produces offer letter to take farm

Tererai Karimakwenda
14 October 2005

The ZimOnline news site reports that High Court judge Annie-Marie Gowora has taken over Helensvale Farm in Makoni district in Manicaland, after she finally produced an offer letter from the government. Former white owner Peter Purcell-Gilpin was on Wednesday ordered by Judge Barat Patel to vacate the property. In the High Court, Purcell-Gilpin had challenged the government’s seizure of his property, arguing that the new owner did not have an offer letter from the government.

But in his ruling on the matter Patel ordered Purcell-Gilpin to immediately vacate the farm to pave way for the new owners. He however allowed Purcell-Gilpin to take his moveable property as well as his cattle and sheep from the farm.

In his court application, Purcell-Gilpin had accused the judge’s husband of seizing his property with the help of Agriculture and Justice Ministers Joseph Made and Patrick Chinamasa.
Mr. Gowora later told the court that he was only acting on behalf of his wife who had been offered the property under the government’s land redistribution exercise.
Many have expressed shock that, yet again, no less than a Judge of the High Court can behave in such a lawless and illegal manner.