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Peter Matambanadzo Senior Reporter
Several prominent individuals and businesses have lost property worth thousands of dollars to forced auctions over the last few months for failing to settle debts. Almost on a daily basis the Messenger of Court flights adverts in the Press for goods up for sale for outstanding debts. Marondera businessman, politician and leader of the Johanne Masowe YeChishanu Apostolic sect, Cde Lawrence Katsiru, is set to lose farm equipment and livestock worth nearly US$100 000 which the Deputy Sheriff attached after he failed to settle a debt he owed to Tian Ze Tobacco Company.
Tian Ze is a Chinese company that supports farmers with tobacco farming inputs on a contract basis.
Cde Katsiru’s property, which was attached from his Cambridge Farm in Marondera, will be auctioned on September 26 under case number HC2100/14.
The property was attached after Tian Ze approached the High Court seeking an order to attach the property and recover an undisclosed amount of money Cde Kastiru owed them.
The property, mostly farming implements, was attached last week at the farm also known as Little Zim Farm situated along Murehwa Road.
According to a notice by the Marondera Deputy Sheriff, the property attached includes an ERF horse, a Steyr 3161 tipper truck, four tractors – a Foton two-wheel- drive, a Massey Ferguson MF35, a John Deere 2000 and an YTO X804.
The Deputy Sheriff also attached a Kholar four-cylinder generator, a motor- bike, a wheat lime spreader, a vycon, a hay rack, a sheller, irrigation pipes, bailing boxes, two knapsacks,10 tobacco curing modros and an assortment of workshop tools. Livestock attached includes 20 goats.
The Deputy Sheriff has also targeted property belonging to businessman Mr Douglas Tanyanyiwa and Douglas Women’s Football Club after he failed to pay co-director of Douglas Warriors Football Club Mr Lawrence Bernard Gwarada an undisclosed amount.
According to a notice by Ruby Auctions under High Court case number HC 636/10, the attached property includes a Mercedes-Benz S320, 12 reception seats, a leather swivel chair, four office chairs, an LG plasma television, a bookshelf, seven computers, two office desks and two deep-freezers.
Pelhams, a premium furniture outlet, also had its property attached for failing to pay the Local Authorities Pension Fund. The property attached includes nine beds, four lounge suites, nine dining room suites, four televisions, four computers, three kitchen sinks, two wardrobes, a four-plate gas stove, two refrigerators and seven room dividers.
Perfect Bakery has not been spared after its two trucks, a slicing machine and two heavy-duty ovens were attached for failing to pay back MegaPak Zimbabwe its money. The property will go under the hammer on September 25.
In April this year the Deputy Sheriff attached property from Rockfoundation Medical Centre (RMC) owned by Dr Munyaradzi Kereke after he failed to settle a US$20 000 debt.
RMC owed Westchase Consultants US$20 640 for services provided to the private hospital. High Court judge Justice David Mangota ordered that RMC pay Westchase Consultants that sum plus costs of the lawsuit.
Another case is that of Harambe Holdings chairman Mr David Govere who lost his Mount Pleasant single-storey property that was auctioned for U$122 000 to settle a debt with Stanbic Bank.
Recently music promoter Josphat Hozheri had his three-bedroomed Bluffhill house sold at an auction for failing to settle a bank debt.
The house was auctioned by Ruby Auctions on behalf of the Central Africa Building Society (CABS) for US$77 000.
This also comes a few months after his Jazz 105 nightclub was shut down.
Last year alone at least 584 of Harare’s upmarket properties were attached by the Deputy Sheriff and auctioned over non-servicing of loans.
The debts were taken between 2009 and 2010.
Internationally especially in the US many home owners have also lost out when they failed to pay back banks at the height of the global financial crisis.
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