More trouble for Chombo in botched stand deal

A LOCAL firm, Dadmal Investiments (Pvt) Ltd has petitioned the Harare Civil Court seeking an order to compel the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) to investigate and arrest former Local Government minister, Ignatius Chombo, over a botched stand deal.

In her founding affidavit, Dadmal Investiments corporate secretary, Chyvonne Esters Nhira accused the ZRP of attempting to protect Chombo by failing to properly investigate him on the stand, issue saying the matter bordered on a civil transaction.

She cited the Commissioner-General of Police, Godwin Matanga, the officer-in-charge Borrowdale Police Station, director criminal investigation department (CID) and investigating officer CID Commercial Crimes Unit in their official capacities as respondents.

"This is an application for an order compelling the first, second, third and fourth respondents to properly investigate my police report case reference number 4061238, CR205/06/19 and bring it before the court," she said.

"I further submit that the respondents' actions are tantamount to abuse of the law because they are clearly protecting the interest of Mr Chombo as he is a former politician and has friends in high places of sorts by rendering my police report false on the basis that it is a civil matter."

Nhira said sometime in April 2019, it was brought to her attention during an audit that a stand had been purchased from Chombo by her company in 2007 and yet the agreements and title deeds were never released.

Nhira further said at some point she was furnished with the electronic transfer of the payment made to the lawyer who was handling the sale on behalf of Chombo and thereafter, several attempts made to set in touch with him amicably to resolve the matter was to no avail.

"He (Chombo) has been evading contact with me or any other company representative. I then made enquires on the status of the stand from our company representative Malvern Chimutashu, who handled the sale in 2007. He informed me that Chombo physically showed him the stand to be purchased and it was in El Shadai way in the Borrowdale/Glen Lorne area and gave me the ZETSS application of full payment to Mr Chombo through his lawyers," she said.

The woman further said on April 3, 2019 she wrote a follow up letter to the lawyers to find out if they could resolve the matter amicably.

Having failed to locate Chombo and resolve the matter cordially, Nhira said she approached the police for help, but the latter allegedly refused to arrest Chombo for fraudulently selling the stand.

"I reported the matter to Borrowdale Police Station and a docket was opened under reference CR205/06/19. On 7 July 2019, I was shocked to then receive an outcome of my report stating that 'case was filed false on enquiry," she said.

On July 22, 2019 she said, she then visited the Borrowdale Police Station where she was advised that her case was civil and, therefore, she should approach the civil courts.

"I could not understand the basis of such a response. I have the right to equal protection of the law. I submit that the failure of the respondents to properly investigate and send my docket to court as is normal procedure, is a clear denial of my right to equal protection of the law since it has the same effect of preventing me from getting justice," she said.

The matter is still pending.