$320 000 lawsuit as Anglican Church fails to settle debt

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Court Reporter
A BULAWAYO-based construction company has taken the Anglican Church to court for failing to settle a debt of more than $320 000.

The debt allegedly arose when the company renovated the church’s premises and funded an educational programme for its priests.

Lubeck Construction, through its lawyers Lazarus and Sarif Legal Practitioners, this week filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing the Anglican Church Diocese of Matabeleland as the defendant.

The construction firm is demanding $327 156,09 from the church.

The Anglican Church and Lubeck Construction entered into a verbal agreement whereby the construction firm was to renovate the premises for the church situated in Bulawayo’s CBD.

“From 2013 to July 2017, plaintiff (Lubeck Construction) spent $292 970,49 in renovating the defendant’s premises. The defendant undertook to pay for the renovations,” said Lubeck Construction in its summons.

Lubeck Construction through its subsidiary company, Learning Institution, also agreed with the church to pay $34 185,60 towards the tuition of five priests who were studying theology at the University of South Africa.

The five priests have since obtained their Bachelor’s Degrees in Theology.

Lubeck Construction Company said the church continuously failed, refused or neglected to settle the debt despite demand.

“The defendant agreed to reimburse the plaintiff the money, but however, despite demand, the church has neglected to pay back plaintiff the money for the renovations to the building and the costs of educating the priests,” said the plaintiff’s lawyers.

The construction company wants the church to pay the legal costs.

The Anglican Church is yet to respond. — @mashnets.