Zimbabwe Lands Commissioner Tsitsi Choruma is facing allegations of defying a standing High Court order after reportedly fencing portions of Amandas Estate in Mazowe belonging to industrialist Prosper Muchenje.

The latest development has intensified a long-running dispute over the 200-hectare property, with Muchenje's legal team preparing an urgent contempt of court application against Choruma.

The dispute dates back to 2022, when then Lands Minister Anxious Masuka allocated 50 hectares of Amandas Estate to Choruma. Muchenje challenged the decision in the High Court, arguing that the allocation had been made without following due process.

Justice Neville Wamambo subsequently issued an interdict barring Choruma from taking possession of or carrying out activities on the disputed sections of the farm.

Despite the order, Muchenje's representatives allege that Choruma took physical possession of the land earlier this year and has since carried out several developments there.

Among the allegations is that approximately 15 hectares of maize, reportedly at knee height, was destroyed after Choruma occupied the disputed portion. A borehole was also allegedly drilled and equipment moved onto the property.

The latest move to erect fences has heightened tensions, with Muchenje's lawyers viewing the fencing as an attempt to establish physical control over land whose ownership and allocation remain the subject of litigation.

According to court documents and Muchenje's legal representatives, the property was allocated to him under the land reform programme in 2013. He subsequently developed and cultivated the farm for several years before the dispute emerged in 2022.

The case has also raised concerns over a potential conflict of interest because Choruma is a member of the Zimbabwe Lands Commission, a constitutional body involved in the administration and oversight of agricultural land.

Muchenje's representatives reportedly approached the police after the alleged destruction of the maize, but officers declined to open a docket, treating the matter as a land dispute.

That response has added another layer to the controversy, with Muchenje's camp arguing that alleged destruction of crops and occupation of property should not simply be dismissed as an administrative land matter.

Choruma declined to comment on the substance of the dispute when approached.

“I do not want to talk about this issue,” she said, instead calling for a public interview with Muchenje so that the matter could be discussed openly.

The controversy also puts renewed focus on the role of Masuka, whose 2022 allocation of the disputed 50 hectares triggered the court challenge.

The High Court order and subsequent events have raised broader questions about the enforcement of judicial decisions, particularly where government officials or members of statutory bodies are involved.

Muchenje's lawyers are now expected to seek an urgent contempt order against Choruma over the alleged breach of Justice Wamambo's directive.

The application could potentially seek sanctions against Choruma if the court finds that she knowingly breached the order.

The dispute has consequently moved beyond the question of who occupies the 50 hectares, with the enforcement of court orders, protection of property interests and the conduct of public officials now at the centre of the controversy.

As of publication, the Ministry of Lands had not publicly explained how it intends to reconcile the 2022 allocation with the High Court order or responded to the latest allegations concerning the fencing and occupation of the disputed land.