PAYNET Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd, a subsidiary of Mauritius
registered firm, Payserv Africa Limited, has lost a US$100 million lawsuit
against the Bankers Association of Zimbabwe (BAZ) following a dispute over the
use of the company’s software to process payments.
BAZ, represented by Thabani Mpofu, won the case with costs
against Paynet at the High Court after Justice Edith Mushore upheld an
exception by BAZ.
Paynet Zimbabwe, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cambria
Africa — a foreign entity and technology owner of a bulk payment platform
commonly known as Paynet, wanted BAZ to pay US$100 million for allegedly
influencing and urging local banks not to pay for transaction fees.
Paynet, a transaction switch that was used by virtually all
banks, was suspended because of a US$470 000 debt in June.
Paynet Zimbabwe said it entered into separate contracts
with BAZ members in which the contracted financial institutions would access
the platform on an agreed per transaction fee and pay in hard currency.
Paynet Zimbabwe said in April this year it wrote to all the
financial institutions informing them that as of their May 30, 2019 invoice,
Payserv Africa would invoice and collect the agreed prevailing licence fees and
that invoices would be paid in United States Dollars.
The firm said in acknowledging receipt of the
correspondence, a number of the contracted financial institutions indicated in
writing that they accepted the invoices and were indebted to pay.
“Notwithstanding the foregoing, defendant (BAZ) engaged in
anti-competitive practices, actively preventing its members from free and
constructive engagement with the plaintiffs (Paynet Zimbabwe and Payserv
Africa). The defendant was effectively instructing its members to breach their
respective contracts and existing arrangements with the plaintiff,” Paynet
Zimbabwe and Payserv Africa said.
The firms further said BAZ’s actions resulted in all the
financial institutions not proceeding to make payment arrangements to fulfil
the requirements communicated by Payserv Africa, despite the undertaking of the
Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe governor, John Mangudya.
The firms further said BAZ’s actions were clearly
calculated to eliminate the Paynet platform as a service provider to all its
members, regardless of the particular financial institution’s intentions,
preference, or competitive interest.
“Plaintiffs deem the defendant’s conduct to be deliberately
anticompetitive and destructive to the conduct and profitability of its
business and its ability to freely and individually contract and negotiate
directly with the members of the defendant…plaintiffs calculate that the
adverse impact of the defendant’s actions stands at US$100 000 000,” the firms
said.
The court ruled in favour of BAZ. Newsday
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