Farmer accuses teachers of joining invaders
Chief Reporter
MARTIN Pereira of Rapids Farm in Marondera has accused teachers at Bernard Mizeki College, an Anglican secondary school, of joining invaders at his farm in cutting down trees and terrorising his family.
Perreira wrote to the headmaster of the school, Misheck Nyawedegwe, to complain of the alleged invasion about two weeks ago. Part of the letter read: "Two weeks ago, I had 50 people surround my house and for 50 hours my wife and I were held hostage in our house while these people rampaged through our garden, set fires and cut trees all around the house. For the whole night, people ran around banging walls and windows, throwing logs on the roof and threatening us with imminent death. This mob included members of your staff and teachers. I would be interested how you can explain this behaviour to both your pupils and to the spirit of the late Bernard Mizeki as Christian acts . . ."
Recently, a sawmill company cut down trees on the farm, alleging they had been contracted by teachers at Bernard Mizeki to clear the land. Perreira said for the past one-and-half years his family had been subjected to harassment and intimidation, including threats on his life. He said on a number of occasions his vehicles and a tractor had been removed from the farm by invaders.