Chiyangwa Sues For USD 900 m

This time he has unleashed a lawsuit against Harare City Council and local newspaper The Standard for a total of  USD 900 million (R6,5 billion) lawsuit for defamation over allegations that he illegally acquired city land.

Chiyangwa,  who claims to be related to Mugabe President Robert Mugabe, is accused in the explosive special council report together with Chombo for conniving with top city council employees to steal prime land.

The businessman who is a former Rhodesian police officer  is suing both in his personal capacity and through his companies Kilima Investments and Pinnacle Holdings.

In papers filed at the High Court on April  9, 2010, Chiyangwa says his companies suffered damages for defamation in the sum of USD250 million and revenue loss in the sum of another USD250 million.  In his personal capacity he says he suffered damages for loss of reputation and trauma in the sum of USD400 million.

“If you do not enter appearance to defend, the plaintiffs’ claims will be heard and dealt with by the High Court without further notice to you.

“The said words (of the report) in the context of the report, are wrongful and defamatory of the plaintiffs in that they were intended and were understood by readers of the report and the newspaper publications that the plaintiffs are dishonest.

“Further, the content of the report is false and defamatory of the plaintiffs in that it imputes, and was intended by the defendants to impute, that the plaintiffs were involved in a fraudulent syndicate with city’s employees to steal the city’s land,” argues Chiyangwa in court papers through his lawyer Farai Mutangamira.

As the see saw battle continues, council says police are so scared of investigating  Chombo and Chiyangwa over the land grab scandal, forcing them to appeal to highly ranked police officers to intervene.

Council also wants senior employees – Psychology Chiwanga director of urban planning services and Cosmas Zvikaramba the finance director– arrested for conniving with Chiyangwa and Chombo to steal council land.

Council through acting mayor, Charity Bango reported the matter to police at Harare Central Police but so far no arrests have been made.