Online Reporter
Lovemore Kadzura
Weekender Reporter
A HARARE landlord is stuck with the personal belongings of a deceased tenant whose relatives have allegedly refused to collect them from his Budiriro home nearly a year after the tenant committed suicide.
The tenant, only identified as Mukadire, reportedly committed suicide after discovering that his wife was having an extramarital affair with another man.
His relatives and wife all refused to collect his belongings from the rented house, leaving the landlord encumbered with the property.
This emerged during a hearing at Chief Makoni’s community court recently, where Pasipanodya Chiyangwa reported Cosmas Mukadire, and sought an order compelling him to collect his late son’s belongings so that he could let the rooms to other tenants.
Chiyangwa said efforts to have Mukadire collect the property had failed, and he also did not have contact details of the deceased’s wife.
Mukadire absconded from the court hearing despite having been served with summons.
“The deceased was my tenant in Budiriro 5, and in August last year, he committed suicide after he caught his wife with another man. His relatives are not cooperating when it comes to collecting his belongings from my house. He hails from Gunda Village. Mukadire even refused to have the funeral of his son held at his home, and it was held at the deceased’s uncle’s house.
“Mukadire did not attend court when he was summoned last week, claiming he was attending a funeral, and today he has absconded again. I do not know the whereabouts of Mukadire’s wife. She disappeared when her husband committed suicide,” said Chiyangwa.
Chief Makoni ordered his messengers to remove Mukadire’s belongings from Chiyangwa’s house and deliver them to Mukadire’s homestead.
“This is a simple matter. Chiyangwa cannot remain with Mukadire’s belongings. This court will send its messengers to remove the belongings from Chiyangwa’s house, and take them to Mukadire’s house. Chiyangwa must be free to use his house. The messengers will leave the belongings at Mukadire’s homestead or at the uncle’s house where the funeral was held. Nothing bad will happen to Chiyangwa because it is his house,” ruled Chief Makoni.
