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Crime Reporter
Three Harare residents who recently made an urgent High Court application seeking an interim order blocking an electronics company, Lagrandy Electrical Industries Ltd, from developing an area in Pomona and Vainona, have been arrested for perjury after filing fake affidavits in court over the matter.
Lagrandy Electrical Industries specialises in the distribution of hardware, switchgear, plumping material and electrical components and is owned by Mr Alex Mashamhanda.
Kenneth Peter Moores, Graham Andrian Clark and Craig Joseph Guthrie were picked up by police for questioning on Tuesday and Wednesday and were interviewed in the presence of their lawyers before they were released.
They are expected to appear in court soon once investigations have been completed.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the trio’s arrest saying investigations were in progress.
“We can confirm that a report was made to that effect and the suspect was interviewed in the presence of his lawyers. Investigations are still in progress,” he said.
Ass Comm Nyathi said Harare City Council had also been called in to clarify the issue.
Council spokesperson Mr Michael Chideme confirmed that the land belonged to Lagrandy Electrical Industries.
“According to our records, the land in question belongs to him (Mr Mashamhanda). It was sold to him by council,” he said.
The latest development came after recent media reports said residents of Pomona and Vainona in Harare had won a reprieve when the High Court blocked the company from carrying out developments on the piece of land which was allegedly donated to the community for recreational purposes.
It was reported that Guthrie, Moores and Clark approached the High Court on an urgent basis seeking an interim order stopping Lagrandy Electrical Industries Ltd from developing the area.
According to reports, the land was said to have been donated from a deceased estate to council on condition that it would continue being used as a recreational park for the benefit of residents of Pomona and Vainona.
Council was also accused of surreptitiously selling the land meant for a recreational park to Lagrandy despite objections from the residents who were reported to be beneficiaries of the piece of land.
Justice Phildah Muzofa then ruled in favour of the residents, saying the court could not ignore the fact that there was an investigation into the legality of the process leading to the acquisition of the land by Lagrandy.
She ordered the company to stop the developments pending the finalisation of the matter.
However, investigations later revealed that Guthrie, Moores and Clark had provided false information to the court about the land in question resulting in the company officials making a report to police.
The suspects are now accused of forging signatures of some of the residents who are alleged to have complained about the developments which were about to take place.
Online Reporter
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