adminWeekender Reporter
EAGLE Estate Agents recently dragged Mutare City Council to court, suing it for closing its shop for operating without a trading licence.
Council locked doors at Number 93, Herbert Chitepo Street accusing Eagle Estate Agent for operating illegally.
Mrs Annia Ndiraya heard the matter.
Mr Passmore Nyakureba of Maunga, Maanda and Associates represented Eagle Estate Agents.
He told the court that council acted unlawfully and unjustifiably for it did not have a court order to close the shop.
“Mutare City Council unlawfully deprived Eagle Estate Agents of possession of their premises of which they had not been convicted by the law on a matter of failing to pay for a trading licence,” he said.
However, council said operating without a trading licence was illegal as it was against by-laws which state that every business should have a trading licence registered with the City of Mutare.
Mutare City Council lawyer, Mr Chris Ndlovu of Gonese and Ndlovu Legal Practitioners, said Eagle Estate Agents had no right to approach the courts with dirty hands.
He said the company knew well that they had no trading licence and therefore deserved to have their doors closed.
Said Mr Ndlovu: “Eagle Estate Agents completely ignored the Mutare City Council’s trading by-laws. They kept on trading as if they were trading in a lawless country, Your Worship. That is unacceptable and it justifies the action taken by the Mutare City Council.”
The matter was adjourned to July 20, 2015.
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