Meikles saga unravels

As the Meikles saga continues to unravel, Benjamin Ward the key figure allegedly at the centre of a plot to oust executive chairman John Moxon from the Meikles empire now reportedly claims he is being framed by senior executives who are planning to scupper his appointment as chief operating officer of the business.

Details published on November 20, 2016 indicate an alleged plot by some shareholders to wrest the business from Moxon.

Government and Meikles are currently locked in negotiations over a debt that was originally owed by the former.

Sources had earlier said restless shareholders intended to use the misunderstanding over the debt to engineer the ouster of Moxon, citing the "unsatisfactory" manner through which the negotiations were handled under his watch.

It was also claimed that Mr Benjamin Ward, a former employee of Lornho, would subsequently replace Moxon. The new deal was supposed to rope in senior figures in both the horticulture industry and politics (names supplied) under the guise of indigenisation.