adminPatrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
BULAWAYO High Court Judge Justice Maxwell Takuva has ordered the imprisonment of Matetsi Ward 1 councillor Elias Mzamba and 10 of his associates for three months for being in contempt of court.
On May 27, Bulawayo High Court Judge Justice Nokuthula Moyo granted a provisional order barring Clr Mzamba, a Zanu-PF councillor, from interfering with the running of a lucrative safari business at Woodlands conservancy on the outskirts of Victoria Falls.
Justice Moyo also ordered Clr Mzamba and his associates to surrender a hunting quota for this year to a local company, Words of Advice, that is run by 118 resettled farmers, owners of the sanctuary.
Clr Mzamba is alleged to have collected the animal reserve’s hunting quota for this year from the Zimbabwe National Parks and Wildlife Management Authority after a board he led was booted from Words of Advice following allegations of financial malpractice, fraud and poaching that were levelled against them.
After being expelled, the councillor and his associates are said to have collected the hunting quota for 2014 and permit for personal gain without shareholder approval, resulting in the dispute spilling into the courts.
Justice Moyo then ordered Clr Mzamba and his associates to stop interfering with the running of the safari business but they defied the order.
Justice Takuva found Clr Mzamba and his associates in contempt of the High Court order and ordered their imprisonment. “1st to 11th respondents be and are hereby to be severally arrested and detained at Hwange prison for 90 (days) for being in contempt of court,” reads part of the judgment by Justice Takuva.
He also ordered Clr Mzamba and his associates to pay the costs of the suit.
Justice Takuva again ordered Clr Mzamba and his associates not to interfere with the administration of the Words of Advice Company.
The others who are to be imprisoned are Themba Nyathi, Josphat Sipulila Mpofu, John Sianaga, Roy Dube, Robin Moyo, Bata Sibanda, Tetrax Tshuma, Gloria Sinikiwe Weza, Sithandi Moyo and Mehluli Mpofu.
At the centre of contestation is a hunting conservancy run by 118 farmers in Woodlands with an annual minimal income of $120,000 per annum.
Clr Mzamba and his associates without shareholder approval had collected the hunting quota of 2014 and permit subsequently transacting the quota with a deed of settlement valued at $184,000 with a private hunting concern for personal gain.
Last week, Clr Mzamba allegedly hired some people who are not plotholders at the 12,600 hectare farm to demonstrate against Justice Moyo’s ruling and they were arrested. Twenty seven of them are in remand prison after failing to pay $50 bail.
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