Businessman Tendai Mashamhanda, who is Mashwede’s son, has called on Chief Justice Luke Malaba to resign after he lost his home.
In December 2023, the High Court cancelled his title deeds and ordered that he be evicted, ruling that the house was bought through a fraudulent process.
Mashamhanda, who is the son of the business tycoon Alex Mashamhanda of Mashwede Holdings, acquired the Highlands property for US$230,000 from Harare lawyer Pihwai Chiutsi. Chiutsi fraudulently sold the house while it was under judicial attachment in September 2017.
After appealing the High Court decision in the Supreme Court, Judge Justice Chinembiri Bhunu dismissed the case. Mashamhanda had challenged eviction, arguing that he had developed the property, and it was now worth US$ 1.5 million.
Mashwede’s son wrote a letter to the Justice Service Commission Chairperson, the Zimbabwe Human Rights Commission, the Minister of Justice Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, the Chairperson of Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission and the Chairperson of Parliamentary Legal Committee, accusing the judiciary and top lawyers of running a corrupt syndicate which “sweeps matters under the carpet” denying citizens justice.
Mashamhanda explained:
“I bought my property, 41 Ridgeway North Highlands, in good faith and for value. The record of proceedings in the High Court shows that none of the parties were able to rebut that assertion. The Supreme Court of Zimbabwe manufactured numerous lies to justify the cancellation of my title deeds for the benefit of a cartel member.
“It is now an open secret that the Chief Justice routinely interferes with the Magistrates and their decisions through the Chief Magistrate’s office. Judges are, therefore, so afraid of losing their jobs that they consciously and subconsciously make decisions they consider safe, even if these do not accord with the law.
“Where certain decisions are made which are unpopular with the Chief Justice, parties are directed to appeal with guarantees of success on appeal. It is also an open secret that no Supreme Court Judgment can be delivered without the Chief Justice’s approval. In order to protect the integrity of the judicial system in Zimbabwe and the interests of the people of Zimbabwe, you must resign as a matter of urgency.”
SOURCE : IHARARE
