Business / Companies
Air Zimbabwe suffer blow
26 Apr 2013 at 21:22hrs | Views
Air Zimbabwe's revival suffered a major blow yesterday after the High Court dismissed its request for urgent hearing of its application to stop a former manager from auctioning 29 vehicles he attached over a more than US$140 000 retrenchment package. The former
manager, Mr Stephen Nhuta, last year attached 29 Air Zimbabwe vehicles in settlement of a US$141 790,82 debt.
The arbitral award, which was registered at the High Court, empowers Mr Nhuta, a former sales and marketing manager, to attach and auction the airline's vehicles to recover his retrenchment package.
Justice Joseph Martin Mafusire yesterday ruled that Air Zimbabwe's application, which was brought under a certificate of urgency, could not be heard on an urgent basis.
Through its lawyer, Ms Belinda Rupapa, the airline sought to prevent Mr Nhuta from auctioning the attached assets.
Ms Rupapa argued that Mr Nhuta, Deputy Sheriff Harare and Sheriff of Zimbabwe who were listed as respondents were committing an illegality in view of certain provisions of the Finance Act, which protect the attachment or execution of Air Zimbabwe (Private) Limited assets.
"Applicant is bound to suffer irreparable harm if the attached motor vehicles are removed for public auctioning," said Ms Rupapa. "The removal will ground the operations of the applicants (Air Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd and Air Zimbabwe Holdings) who run a national airline that is currently under a resuscitation process."
She also argued that attaching or auctioning the assets of Air Zimbabwe was a serious violation of law.
manager, Mr Stephen Nhuta, last year attached 29 Air Zimbabwe vehicles in settlement of a US$141 790,82 debt.
The arbitral award, which was registered at the High Court, empowers Mr Nhuta, a former sales and marketing manager, to attach and auction the airline's vehicles to recover his retrenchment package.
Justice Joseph Martin Mafusire yesterday ruled that Air Zimbabwe's application, which was brought under a certificate of urgency, could not be heard on an urgent basis.
Through its lawyer, Ms Belinda Rupapa, the airline sought to prevent Mr Nhuta from auctioning the attached assets.
Ms Rupapa argued that Mr Nhuta, Deputy Sheriff Harare and Sheriff of Zimbabwe who were listed as respondents were committing an illegality in view of certain provisions of the Finance Act, which protect the attachment or execution of Air Zimbabwe (Private) Limited assets.
"Applicant is bound to suffer irreparable harm if the attached motor vehicles are removed for public auctioning," said Ms Rupapa. "The removal will ground the operations of the applicants (Air Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd and Air Zimbabwe Holdings) who run a national airline that is currently under a resuscitation process."
She also argued that attaching or auctioning the assets of Air Zimbabwe was a serious violation of law.
Source - TH
