News / National
Mugabe daughter's divorce opens can of worms
05 May 2023 at 01:21hrs | Views
A LOCAL property developer has accused the late former President Robert Mugabe's daughter, Bona and her estranged husband, Simba Chikore of stealing vast tracts of its prime land at Carrick Creagh Estate in Harare.
The property developer has claimed that the couple, currently in the middle of a stormy divorce, allegedly stole 213 794m² of its land.
Chikore listed 21 properties, including a mansion in Dubai, 17 super cars, 21 farms and an undisclosed amount of cash among many other properties that he wants shared equally between the couple as part of the divorce settlement.
However, Arosume Property Development has claimed that some of the land listed in the claim belongs to it.
The company's lawyers, Jiti Law Chambers want it removed from the list.
"While our client has maintained that your clients ‘stole' vast amounts of State land, the confirmation of the extent has only become apparent from their own pleadings that in Carrick Creagh alone, they took State land amounting to 213 794 sqm," Jiti Law Chambers said in a letter dated May 4 addressed to Chikore's lawyers, Matsikidze Attorneys At Law.
"In fact, it is government policy that one individual cannot receive more than one residential stand within the same local authority from the State.
"How your clients were able to circumvent that policy requires further investigation from the relevant authorities."
The lawyers added: "We advise that the Carrick Creagh Estate stands are not owned by either of your clients.
"It is State land, which prior to the cancellation of the fraudulently acquired title deeds, were owned by Navline Investments (Private) Limited and Montshow Enterprises (Private) Limited.
"The consequence of the cancellation is that the land reverted to being State land and, as such, it cannot be distributed to private individuals via a divorce order.
"We have taken note of the fact that Mr Chikore appears to have deliberately included these properties for purposes that have nothing to do with the distribution sought before the court, knowing that the list is inaccurate."
According to Arosume Property Development, the matter was once reported to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, but no action was taken.
The property developer has claimed that the couple, currently in the middle of a stormy divorce, allegedly stole 213 794m² of its land.
Chikore listed 21 properties, including a mansion in Dubai, 17 super cars, 21 farms and an undisclosed amount of cash among many other properties that he wants shared equally between the couple as part of the divorce settlement.
However, Arosume Property Development has claimed that some of the land listed in the claim belongs to it.
The company's lawyers, Jiti Law Chambers want it removed from the list.
"While our client has maintained that your clients ‘stole' vast amounts of State land, the confirmation of the extent has only become apparent from their own pleadings that in Carrick Creagh alone, they took State land amounting to 213 794 sqm," Jiti Law Chambers said in a letter dated May 4 addressed to Chikore's lawyers, Matsikidze Attorneys At Law.
"In fact, it is government policy that one individual cannot receive more than one residential stand within the same local authority from the State.
"How your clients were able to circumvent that policy requires further investigation from the relevant authorities."
The lawyers added: "We advise that the Carrick Creagh Estate stands are not owned by either of your clients.
"It is State land, which prior to the cancellation of the fraudulently acquired title deeds, were owned by Navline Investments (Private) Limited and Montshow Enterprises (Private) Limited.
"The consequence of the cancellation is that the land reverted to being State land and, as such, it cannot be distributed to private individuals via a divorce order.
"We have taken note of the fact that Mr Chikore appears to have deliberately included these properties for purposes that have nothing to do with the distribution sought before the court, knowing that the list is inaccurate."
According to Arosume Property Development, the matter was once reported to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, but no action was taken.
Source - newsday
