Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Ezra Chadzamira is
accused of trying to loot earnings for sugarcane farmers after he allegedly
ordered Hippo Valley Estates to pay over $600 000 of their sale proceeds to
Felistas Mnangagwa, whose address was given as the Zanu PF headquarters.
The woman is believed to be President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s
relative. Rowesai Pedzisai and Fadzai Chigowi have filed an urgent High Court
chamber application seeking an interdict stopping the Hippo Valley Estates and
Triangle Limited from depositing the money into Mnangagwa’s account.
Pedzisai and Chigowi are represented by Obey Shava of Shava
Law Chambers and in their application, they cited Hippo Valley Estates,
Triangle Limited, Chadzamira, Agriculture minister Perrance Shiri and Felistas
Mnangagwa as respondents.
In his application, Pedzisai, who is a sugarcane farmer at
subdivision 78, said they had been carrying out production at the farm since
2017.
He submitted that he sold his sugarcane to Hippo Valley
Estates and Triangle under a binding agreement that they would harvest the
sugarcane from his farm and pay for the produce.
Pedzisai said before paying his dues, they deduct their
harvesting costs. He said Hippo Valley Estates and Triangle harvested his
sugarcane, but did not pay him as stated in the agreement.
The farmers then approached the High Court under case
number HC 5812/19 compelling Hippo Valley Estates and Triangle Limited to
honour its end of the bargain and the High Court ordered the two sugarcane
milling companies to give a statement of account detailing the amount the
farmers are to get and they confirmed that Pedzisai would get $573 074,67 and
Chigowi $91 292.
Pedzisai said on January 23 this year, he was surprised to
receive an email from Hippo Valley Estates and Triangle Limited’s lawyer
advising him that they had been instructed by Chadzamira to release the payment
for the cane proceeds to Mnangagwa.
“The email leaves no room for doubt that Hippo Valley
Estates and Triangle intend to comply with the instructions despite the fact
that they have acknowledged in writing that the proceeds for sugarcane
harvested at subsection 78 of Triangle are due to me,” Pedzisai submitted.
He said he does not know Mnangagwa and it was clear she
wanted to reap where she did not sow.
Pedzisai submitted that Chadzamira lied in his letter that
Mnangagwa was the farmer who maintained subdivision 78.
“I aver that despite the acknowledgement by Hippo Valley
Estates and Triangle Limited, they have advised that they are prepared to
unjustly and most importantly, unlawfully enrich Mnangagwa through the stroke
of a pen engineered by Chadzamira. Should this court not intervene, a grave
injustice will ensue, which I submit is not capable of being remedied or
repaired,” his lawyers said.
“I have valid agreements entered into with Hippo Valley
Estates and Triangle Limited and submit that the sold proceeds are due to me
and not to any other party.”
Pedzisai said if the proceeds are released to Mnangagwa, he
will stand to suffer irreparable harm as the income is needed for further
farming activities and payment of employees’ salaries.
According to the farmers’ lawyer Shava, the summon papers
were served by the messenger of court at the given address at Zanu PF
headquarters on Sunday, but the officials present refused to sign for them.
Newsday
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