By Daniel Nemukuyu
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) has been taken to the High Court for failure to pay car hiring fees amounting to $6,3 million.
ZPCS hired vehicles for use from Easy Go Private Limited, a subsidiary of CMED (Private) Limited and the debt ballooned to $6 334 496.
The prison authority failed to pay the debt, resulting in a dispute between the two organisations.
ZPCS acknowledged the debt, despite demand, it has failed or refused to pay up, resulting in the dispute spilling into the High Court.
Easy Go’s lawyers TK Hove and Partners, filed a lawsuit at the High Court claiming the principal debt plus interest.
ZPCS Commissioner-General Paradzai Zimondi was cited as the defendant in his official capacity.
According to the plaintiff’s declaration, Easy Go claimed that years back, it entered into an agreement to hire out its vehicles to ZPCS at an agreed fee.
“Plaintiff fulfilled its obligation in terms of the agreement by providing the car hire services to the defendant,” Easy Go said.
“Defendant breached the agreement by failing to pay the sum of $6 334 496 as more fully appears from Annexure A being their acknowledgement of debt.”
Through TK Hove and Partners, Easy-Go wrote a letter of demand to ZPCS, but the prison authority did not respond.
Efforts to recover the debt proved fruitless, a development that prompted the transport firm to seek the intervention of the High Court.
“Defendant has refused, failed and or neglected to pay the whole amount despite demand,” said Easy Go.
“Defendant has no right at law to refuse to pay the whole amount.
“Wherefore plaintiff claims from defendant: payment of the sum of $6 334 496 being an amount outstanding arising from a car hire which were rendered to the defendant by the plaintiff.”
ZPCS is yet to respond to the claim. The Herald.
