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Agricultural authority sued over tobacco sales

Zimbabwe's Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) and Manicaland governor Oppah Muchinguri are being sued by an Odzi company after they allegedly illegally sold over US $ 3,000 worth of tobacco from Tara Farm, owned by farmer Philip Bezuidenhout, who faces murder charges, the 'Zimbabwe Independent' reported on Friday.

Bezuidenhout was in the news in July when he ran over a resettled farmer in Nyazura and is currently facing murder charges. He is out on bail and is expected to appear in court on 28 October, according to the report. The farmer vacated the property after the incident, leaving behind the tobacco, which has now been sold by ARDA. Nashrite Services, the company which filed the suit in the High Court, through its lawyer Chris Ndlovu of Ndlovu & Gonese in Mutare, wants ARDA to stop selling tobacco from Tara Farm and to allow the farm owner to return and collect his equipment.


This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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