Mosquitoes cost Harare man $600 in damages

Panashe Mabeza

A Harare man, who sold the shell of a car belonging to his business partner for US$5 purportedly because it was breeding nuisance mosquitoes at his house, now has to fork out $600 in damages.

Edmore Pachari was ordered by the Small Claims Court to compensate a Mr Sithole (first name not given) for selling off the jalopy.

Sithole argues that he had entrusted Pachari’s father with the car as he wanted to salvage the propshaft, which he intended to use on his scotch cart.

Pachari’s father duly removed the sought part and left for his rural home.

However, Pachari subsequently sold the car body without Sithole’s consent ostensibly because it had become a cesspool that was breeding troublesome mosquitoes.

The matter came to light after Sithole came to Pachari’s house to check on his car and was told it had been sold to some Chinese nationals.

“I am not denying the charge, but mosquitoes were now breeding in the car and had become a health hazard to my family,” Pachari told the court.

He was, however, ordered to pay $600 in monthly instalments of $200 after the court dismissed his explanation.