Simba Chikore and Bona Mugabe have been given 10 days to remove a piece of land from their divorce case or risk legal action. Jiti Law Chambers, the lawyers representing Arosume Property Development, are demanding that the duo removed all the Carrick Creagh stands from their divorce proceedings. The stands cover a total of 213 794 square meters.
In a letter seen by Pindula News, Jiti Law Chambers warned that legal action would be taken if the properties were not removed from the case within 10 working days. The letter was addressed to Matsikidze Attorneys at Law, who are representing Mugabe and Chikore in the divorce case. We present the full letter dated May 4, 2023:
Dear Sirs
RE: YOUR CLIENTS MR & MRS CHIKORE: DEMAND FOR REMOVAL OF UNDISTRIBUTABLE STATE LAND (CARRICK CREAGH STANDS) FROM DIVORCE PLEADINGS HC1521/ 23
1. We act for AROSUME PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT (PRIVATE) LIMITED a land development company in partnership with the government through a Public Private Partnership (PPP) Tripartite Agreement with the Ministry of Local Government & Public Works which agreement is dated June 2007 and still subsists.
2. Our client has learnt from the wide media coverage of your respective clients, a Mr Simbarashe Chikore and his wife Bona Chikore (nee Mugabe) matrimonial proceedings that various properties in the Carrick Creagh Estate alone are listed as part of their matrimonial estate and subject to distribution.
3. 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 213,794.00sqm. 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.
4. 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 Enteprises 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. Attached hereto is proof of such cancellation.
5. For clarity, Mr Simba Chikore does not appear to have been or to be involved in either companies. Mrs Chikore however has been a director of the two companies. We have taken note of the fact that Mr Chikore appears to have deliberately included these properties ma/a fide for purposes that have nothing to do with the distribution sought before the court, perhaps knowing that the list is inaccurate.
6. As regards stand number 313 of Carrick Creagh Estate, we note that in a letter to Mr Churu (Sec for Local Government & Public Works), Rtd Major General Gerald Gwinji, the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs & Cultural Heritage has separately been attempting to endorse an unlawful allocation of the same stand to LOUISA DUDUZILE KALENGA BANDAL. The confusion that has now arisen as to who owns stand 313 lays bare the danger of unlawful political interference by persons who have no business administering land.
7. We also advise that your clients’ purported ownership of the various pieces of land in Carrick Creagh Estate was reported to Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission which for all intents and purposes, has turned a blind eye to this primitive accumulation of public land by your clients. It is our client’s position that your clients never took this land out of any legitimate need but greed.
8. We are instructed, as we hereby do, to demand that both your clients cause to be removed from their pleadings all Carrick Creagh properties that do not belong to them within the next ten (10) working days failure which our client will take legal action without further notice to yours for the removal of all Carrick Creagh land from their matrimonial proceedings.
We trust that you find the above to be in order.