PUB Lagondola in Bulawayo has been temporarily shut down
reportedly because of rental arrears of about $22 000.
Furniture at the popular nightspot was yesterday strewn
outside as it looked like the Deputy Sheriff had been called in to remove the
tenants. Some of the tenants were also seen collecting their property.
Jabulani Nyoni, who five years ago partnered with lease
owner Mgcini Nkolomi (through his company Mayhemt Enterprises) for the running
of the pub, yesterday accused his partner of misappropriation of funds.
Nyoni said there was an agreement between him and Nkolomi,
a former Highlanders Football club board chairman, to run the bar. As part of
their agreement, Nkolomi was to be given part of the rent money which he,
through his company, would settle together with other incidental costs of the
lease.
However, Nyoni said trouble started when the owner of the
building, one Mrs Di Prinizio, died two years ago.
“During the time of the agreement, I’d give him (Nkolomi)
money (rent) to deposit to the estate of the late Mrs Di Prinizio, but
unfortunately he wasn’t paying for the past two years,” said a disgruntled
Nyoni.
“So far, there are
arrears of about $22 000 and also some payments to the Bulawayo City Council
that haven’t been settled. I’ve all the evidence of all our payments to him.”
Last year, Nyoni said there were efforts by Nkolomi to
evict him from the premises, but fortunately, he won the case at the High
Court.
“I only found out this year that there were such arrears
from the handlers of the estate who said we haven’t been paying rent for the
past years. I was surprised.
“He (Nkolomi) has tried to get us removed from the place
several times but without luck. He once brought police to the premises seeking
to remove us. He had lied to them saying we didn’t want to move, but when we
got to the police station, I produced the previous judgement that we won. The
second time he came and started threatening me and I ended up locking myself in
the office.
“The third time (last month), he came to Lagondola wanting
to move his property and we agreed that he does so,” said Nyoni.
Conveniently, a few
days after Nkolomi left the establishment; a notice of eviction from the Deputy
Sheriff’s office was sent saying they should vacate Lagondola this past Monday.
“The notice of eviction was sent to Lagondola (addressed to
Nkolomi) last week and we were surprised to see the Deputy Sheriff at the
premises on Monday telling us that we should leave. We asked who they gave the
letter to and one Matsha from the bar confirmed receipt.
“But because it was addressed to Nkolomi, she didn’t tell
us about it, but gave it to him. So in essence, the company that was evicted
was Nkolomi’s, not ours,” said Nyoni.
Efforts to get Nkolomi’s side of the story were
unsuccessful as his cellphone went unanswered and thereafter was not reachable.
While the whole drama is unfolding and disputes rage on,
the people who are suffering are the patrons of the nightspot who had made it
their home away from home. It remains to be seen if the pub will be re-opened
by the same management or under different proprietors. For now it is closed. Chronicle
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