Land grab UK doctor’s lawyer speak

via Land grab UK doctor’s lawyer speak – New Zimbabwe 20/10/2015

LAWYERS for the British doctor at the centre of a farm row in Zimbabwe have insisted that he is entitled to the land and denied he was using violence to force the present occupant off the Mashonaland Central property.

The lawyers issued a statement as a UK-based pro-democracy group Zim Vigil vowed to stage protests at Dr. Sylvester Nyatsuro’s slimming clinic- Willows Medical Centre – in Nottingham.

Originally from Zimbabwe but now a British citizen, Dr Nyatsuro is accused of using his ties to President Robert Mugabe to force white farmer Phillip Rankin, 57, off the 2000-acre property.

Nyatsuro’s wife, Veronica, confirmed they were related to Grace Mugabe, but insisted that the First Lady had not played any role in the allocation of the farm.

The GP’s UK lawyers issued a statement this week saying he was entitled to the land.

“Dr Nyatsuro became eligible to take possession of a farm in Zimbabwe in a lawful manner in full accordance with the requirements of the Government’s Minister of Land and Rural Settlement.

“This means that he had to wait several years before becoming eligible to take the area of land in question. There is no question of Dr Nyatsuro being given undue preference.”

The lawyers also said no violence was used in attempts to take occupation of the farm.

“In fact, he was in the UK on that date,” reads the statement.

“Whilst other members of his family attended, accompanied by a lands officer and two police officers, there was no ‘gang’ present, no violence or intimidation of any sort occurred on that date, and the police were on hand to ensure that there was no inappropriate behaviour.”

Rankin has said he has nowhere to go if the farm is taken.

“I have nowhere to go. I’m a Zimbabwean citizen and my wife is third-generation Zimbabwean.

“I bought the farm from the Government for 110,000 dollars and it’s now worth between 400,000 and 600,000 dollars. If he takes the last bit, I have nothing left.”

Meanwhile some of Dr Nyatsuro’s patients expressed shock at the developments in interviews with the local Nottingham Post.

Said 85-year-old Ivy Laing: “I really like him – he has been really good for me.

“I find him very thoughtful and he listens. I’m surprised to hear about this.”

Doreen Green, aged 80, added: “I’m really shocked to hear this.

“It’s surprised me. He is lovely as a doctor.”

ZimVigil and the Zimbabwe Action Forum have urged British authorities to intervene and stop Dr Nyatsuro.

The organisations said the dispute over the farm was the “latest incident in which Zimbabwean exiles given refuge in the UK have revealed the hypocrisy evidenced in the growth of Zanu PF activities in Britain.”

In a letter sent to the Nottingham North and East Clinical Commissioning Group of the National Health Service, the vigil urged authorities to “investigate” Nyatsuro and “take appropriate action”.

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