Company asks court to reject Mugabe company bid to reverse $174,000 award

A Harare agricultural products supplier locked in a debt dispute with former President Robert Mugabe's family business asked a court on Thursday to throw out an application for rescission of a default judgment, accusing Gushungo Holdings (Pvt) Ltd's lawyers of acting unprofessionally.

Seed Potato Co-op (Pvt) Ltd says it is owed $174,183 for potato seeds supplied to Gushungo Holdings, and won a default judgment against the former leader's company.

Corious Mumba, a lawyer for Seed Potato, told Justice Helena Charehwa at the Harare High Court to throw out Gushungo Holdings' rescission application on the basis that Mugabe's business had shown no interest to pursue the matter further.

Justice Charehwa reserved judgment after hearing submissions from both parties.

Mumba said Gushungo Holdings had filed their application out of time and that the diversified company's lawyer in the court case, Farai Jemwa, had no authority to represent Mugabe's business.

"…That being so, respondent had no incentive to prosecute its rescission application further. With respect, this is a blatant abuse of the court process and a perfect example of a matter which ought to be dismissed for want of prosecution," Mumba said.

Mumba further said Gushungo Holdings lawyers were in the habit of acting unprofessionally each time Seed Potato's lawyers attempted to engage them to resolve the matter.

"The respondent's lawyers' return calls with insults, scorn and or disdain," he said, adding Gushungo Holdings lawyers did not want to take the matter further.