Delma Lupepe sued over rental arrears

Businessman and Zimpapers board chairperson, Delma Lupepe, faces eviction from his rented house in Matsheumhlope low-density suburb, after accumulating $18 000 in rental arrears.

Lupepe was served with summons by the property owner, Ecobank, on August 20 under case number HC8031/16.

"The plaintiff (Ecobank) is the owner of an immovable property known as Lot 9 of Subdivision B of (Farm 7 and stands 78-85 and roads) of Matsheumhlope measuring 4 821 square metres in extent (also known as 4 Bunting Close, Matsheumhlope, Bulawayo) which it holds under deed of transfer number 252/2016 which was registered at the Deeds Registry at Bulawayo on March 2, 2016," the bank said in its founding affidavit.

"The defendant (Lupepe) is in occupation of the said property. As a result of the defendant's occupation of its aforesaid property, the plaintiff has suffered and continues to suffer damages as follows: Holding-over damages of $10 000 between the months of March and July 2016 (calculated at the rate of $2 000 per month); unpaid rates, water and other supplementary charges incurred by the defendant at the plaintiff's property amounting to $3 742,24 and $4 372,37, being unpaid electricity charges incurred by the defendant at the plaintiff's property."

The bank said as a result of Lupepe's failure to pay rent, rates and electricity for the property, it was now seeking an order to ensure the businessman was ejected from the property and ordered to pay future holding-over damages at the rate of $2 000 per month from August 1, 2016 to date of his ejectment.

"Wherefore plaintiff prays for judgment against the defendant as follows: An order for the ejectment of the defendant and all persons claiming occupation through him from 4 Bunting Close, Matsheumhlope, Bulawayo, and payment of holding-over damages in the sum of $10 000 together with interest thereon calculated at the rate of 5% per annum from the date of summons to date of payment," the bank said.