Man drags brother to court over Zim dollar debt

BULAWAYO - A NKULUMANE man has sued his stepbrother for $11,482 he used to renovate his late step father's house during the Zimbabwe dollar era for ZW$700.

According to the man's calculation, ZW$700 is now equivalent to about $8,000, and he added interest to his claim for the alleged improvements made. His stepfather died in 1994.

Letas Sibanda is demanding the money from John Masibi, who is the executor of the late Elijah Masibi's estate.

Sibanda, told magistrate Victor Mpofu that he and his relatives from his mother's side contributed ZW$700 whilst Masibi's side did nothing.

He claimed that the current value of ZW$700 is now US$7,919. He said that he added a 45 percent interest to the current value adding up to $11,482 to cater for more than 15 years since the development was made.

Magistrate Mpofu ordered Masibi to find a registered estate agent who will evaluate the house and give him a quotation in current value.

He ordered them to come back to court on January 15 next year.

When Masibi asked Sibanda why he developed his stepfather's house and not his own father's, he claimed that he was doing it for his mother.

"Your Worship, I'm claiming my money that I used from the estate of the late Elijah Masibi. I improved that house because my stepfather treated me like a son and paid for my education. I couldn't do anything for my mother and exclude him because I was treating him as my father," Sibanda said.

"I developed the house to make it a more habitable place by putting windows, toilet system, electricity, doors, painting and plaster."

However, Masibi told the court that Sibanda was lying adding that he did not know of any improvements that Sibanda made. "When my father died in 1994 he had already made developments. The house was already closed down in 2011 after Sibanda ran away leaving his wife behind. I had to sell my beasts and bags of maize to re-occupy the house," Masibi said.

"What surprises me is that he had his own father but he came to my father's place. He is now claiming money from us yet my father educated him whilst we were staying at the rural areas."