ACB boss in land grabbing wrangle: Villager arrested for protecting his land
Anti-Corruption Bureau assistant director for operations Victor Banda is accused of snatching land belonging to some Kajepo Theu villagers in the area of chief Mzukuzuku in Mzimba district.
The land wrangle went awry on Wednesday when one of the villagers, Owen Banda, was arrested together with his child for manhandling one of the agents of the ACB boss on the land under dispute.
“Yes I have been arrested. I just pushed one of Victors agents. He was on the land which Victor has snatched from us,” said Banda on Wednesday.
Police prosecutor Kanjo at Embangweni also confirmed the arrest and said it was connected to the land wrangle.
In an earlier interview, Owen said Victor and some people from Amon Phiri village shared land belonging to some 18 villagers from Kajepo Theu on July 18 2013.
Owen said ACB deputy director is using his status to intimidate the locals.
The villagers then lodged a complaint to their village headman who also complained to group village headman Matemanga Inkosana Moyo.
Moyo confirmed that Victor Banda snatched land from some villagers.
He said: “We are living like slaves. The Anti-Corruption Bureau boss and other people are snatching land that does not belong to them. Village headman came with a complaint and I have advised him to go to the T/A’s secretary where the matter will have to be handled at indaba level first.”
In an interview Victor Banda wanted to know the chiefs who were implicating him.
“Amon Phiri has not taken anybody’s land,” he said.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
