FORMER Member of Parliament for Mount Pleasant Jason Passade has told a court that Eastwind Trust owners Rodgers Pote and Trymore Arineshito, who are facing charges of contempt of court and carrying out development on an illegal settlement without approval, were disowned by Harare City Council's director of Housing in an affidavit.

Pasade said this during cross-examination by the duo's lawyer who had put to him that her clients were regularised.

He said Arineshito and Pote were ordered by the High Court to vacate the premises, but they are not following that order.

Pasade produced an affidavit written by the city's Director of Housing, Mr Addmore Nhekairo, in which he said he never allocated them any land.

The matter was deferred to April 15 for trial continuation.

During previous sittings, Pasade said he knew the accused persons not only in connection with this case but also as land barons at Melfort Farm, Ruwa.

He said in 2020, his company entered into an agreement to develop land on behalf of the Freedom Fighters Development Trust.

Pasade said his company started to carry out developments. Roads were opened while most developments were already at an advanced stage.

However, the accused persons started illegally selling and allocating stands in the area.

Pasade's company allegedly went to court and acquired a High Court order which gave it the authority to remove the illegally settled people.

However, the accused persons did not vacate the stands, contrary to the court order.

It is the State's case that on November 2023, the High Court issued a provisional order against Eastwind Trust.

After the order was granted, the accused were served by the Sheriff but continued invading the area in violation of the order.

The complainant is Homegram Investments Limited, represented by Pasade.