Former minister sued over $1,2m debt

Former Justice deputy minister Fortune Chasi has been dragged to the High Court by the Zimbabwe Farmers Development Company (ZFDC) after failing to pay $1, 2 million for farming equipment he reportedly bought on credit in 2009.

The company, which is demanding $1 251 484, 38, issued the summons on September 19, while the Zanu PF MP for Mazowe South filed his appearance to defend on September 29, this year.

According to court papers, ZFDC said it sold two YTO 1004 tractors, one 30t truck, one 10t truck, one trailer, one disk harrow, one Tyne ripper and two combined harvesters to the parliamentarian on October 14, 2009.

“The defendant (Chasi) duly sold his two motor vehicles to the plaintiff (ZFDC) for the sum of $170 000. The defendant did not pay any instalment to the plaintiff.  In order not to prejudice the defendant, the total sum of $170 000 for the motor vehicles sold to the plaintiff by defendant was used as deposit so as to offset part of the debt,” the company told the court.

The court further heard that in terms of the agreement, the selling price of all the machinery and equipment was $980 571,50.

It is also claimed that Chasi was supposed to have paid $62 849 as deposit by September 30, 2009 and further that the deposit was to be settled by sale of Chasi’s two motor vehicles to ZFDC for $170 000.

The agreement has a compound interest of five percent per annum to be charged on the capital amount. A penalty fee equivalent to five percent would be charged on instalments in arrears. 

Chasi is yet to give a comprehensive response to the application. Daily News