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Farmer in court over pepper spray attack on war veterans
Lindie Whiz, NewZimbabwe.com
May 13, 2008

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/farm71.18188.html

A white Zimbabwean farmer who gassed a group of war veterans with pepper spray when they marched on his property on April 30 this year has appeared in court, facing an assault charge.

Wayne Munro, 35, of Umguzana Farm in Matabeleland North used the spray which has a chemical compound that irritates the eyes to cause tears, pain, and even temporary blindness when confronted by Mathias Ndlovu, Jacob Sibanda, Njabulo Ndebele, Richard Ndlovu and Collin Mpofu who wanted to drive him out of the farm.

Police say the farmer targeted the war veterans in the face and body, although it remains unclear if any of them suffered injuries.

Munro later surrendered himself to Nyamandlovu Police Station.

He was not formally charged when he appeared before Tsholotsho magistrate Toindepi Zhou last Thursday.

The few remaining white farmers in Zimbabwe have reported renewed attempts to drive them off the land in government-sanctioned farm grabs since the March 29 general elections won by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), but not with a wide enough margin to form a government.

Land occupations which began in 2000 have seen a massive decline in agricultural productivity in the country, in the process shaking one of the major pillars of the country's economy which has virtually collapsed.

Fritz Madida will lead the prosecution case when the farmer returns to court on June 9, with Bulawayo lawyer Josphat Tshuma of Webb Low and Barry leading the defence.

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