Real estate agent seeks to evict church over $17k unpaid rentals

By Mashudu Netsianda

A Bulawayo real estate proprietor has taken Christ Assemblies Fellowship Church to court seeking an eviction order over a debt of $17 000 in unpaid rentals. Mr Li Young, through his lawyers Dube-Tachiona and Tsvangirai Legal Practitioners, has filed summons at the Bulawayo High Court citing Christ Assemblies Fellowship Church as the defendant.

Mr Young wants to cancel his lease agreement with the church.

He wants the court to grant him an order directing the church to vacate his premises situated along Robert Mugabe Way in Bulawayo’s central business district.

In papers before the court, Mr Young said the church failed to pay monthly rentals which have now accumulated to $17 000.

“On or about January 1 in 2016, the plaintiff and defendant entered into a lease agreement in terms of which defendant occupied three rooms outside the storage room and a two bed-roomed flat at Shop Number 2 Ground Floor,” said Mr Young’s lawyers.

Mr Young said the church breached the terms of the lease agreement by deliberately failing to pay the money.“In breach of the lease agreement, the defendant has refused, failed or neglected to pay their monthly obligations for rentals. The property belongs to the plaintiff,” said Mr Young’s lawyers.

According to the lease agreement, the church was supposed to pay $1 800 monthly rentals.

Mr Young wants Christ Assemblies Fellowship Church to be ordered to pay the outstanding rentals and be evicted from his building.

He also wants the church to foot the legal bill.

“Wherefore plaintiff claims for the confirmation of the cancellation of the lease agreement entered between the plaintiff and the defendant. The plaintiff also wants the ejectment of defendant and all those claiming title through it from Number 124 Robert Mugabe Way and payment of $17 000 being operation expenses and rental arrears,” said Mr Young’s lawyers.

The church has not yet responded to the summons. The Chronicle