Obert Mpofu demands $25 000, drags firms to court

A  transport firm  owned by Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion minister Obert Mpofu is suing two Bulawayo firms over a $25 900 debt for hiring construction equipment.

Maminza Transport filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court on April 11 demanding payment of $25 999 from Contract Haullers (Pvt) Limited and Impact Agencies.

"The plaintiff's claim against the defendants is for an order for the payment of $25 991,31 by the defendants to plaintiff jointly and severally the one paying the other to be absolved being for charges for hire of the plaintiff's front-end loader from the period extending from February 29, 2016 to April 29," the summons read.

"An order that the defendants pay interest at a rate of 5% per annum from April 29, 2016 to date of payment in full, the one paying the other to be absolved. An order that the defendants pay the costs of suit, jointly and severally the one paying the other to be absolved."

In its declaration of the suit, Maminza Transport submitted that on February 29 last year, the defendants hired a front-end loader at a rate of $71,50 per hour for 60 days until April 29, 2017.

"The plaintiff presented an invoice of $25 991,31 to the first defendant (Contract Haullers (Pvt) Limited), but the first defendant has failed, refused or neglected to pay. Upon being served with a letter of demand, the first defendant insinuated that the front-end loader was used by the second defendant (Impact Agencies (Pvt) Limited).

The second defendant has neither confirmed nor refused the allegations," the declaration read.

Maminza Transport prayed for an order compelling the two firms to settle the amount, and they were given 10 days to respond to the summons. The two firms are yet to respond to the summons.