Chimene pays for contempt of court

Manicaland Provincial Affairs Minister Mandiitawepi Chimene has been ordered to pay the cost of an application for contempt of court charges filed against her in the High Court in a farm wrangle.

Minister Chimene attempted to take over Mona Farm on the outskirts of Rusape.

The farm is believed to be jointly owned by former Presidential Affairs Minister Didymus Mutasa, Ms Christine Murembwe and Mr Leonard Taylor.

The trio are said to be involved in wildlife, tobacco and maize production under a company known as Mona Agri-Tourism Company (Private) Limited.

Chimene refused to comply with the court order.

This prompted Ms Murembwe, through her laywer Mr Effort Jera of Moyo and Jera Legal Practitioners to sue for contempt of court in the High Court.

Minister Chimene, however, purged herself when the matter was brought for hearing before Justice Priscillah Chigumba last week.

In that case, the judge ruled that the application for contempt of court against Chimene had been overtaken by events, but ordered her to pay costs of the application.

"The applicant (Mona Agri-Tourism (Pvt) Ltd) has been restored to the premises. Second respondent (Chimene) be and is hereby ordered to bear the costs of hc778/16 application for contempt of court," said Justice Chigumba.

Ms Murembwe served as Headlands constituency secretary during Mr Mutasa's tenure as MP. High Court judge Justice David Mangota last year ordered Chimene off the farm following an urgent chamber application.

Ms Murembwe who deposed an affidavit at the time claimed she was given the farm on July 8, 2008 and entered into a partnership with Taylor.

She denied that Mona Farm belonged to Mr Mutasa and argued that it was unfair for Chimene to drag her into her fights with the former Zanu-PF party secretary for administration.