Former First Lady Grace Mugabe and her son Russell Goreraza have been ordered to leave three properties belonging to a Lebanese businessman, Mr Jamal Ahmed over a botched diamond deal.
On March 16 2018, High Court judge Justice George Chiweshe said Mugabe and Goreraza have 48 hours to leave the three properties that had been occupied by the police. In his application, Ahmed listed Mugabe and Goreraza as first and second respondents. He also listed top police officer Superintendent Kennedy Fero as third respondent. Part of Justice Chiweshe’s order reads:
Consequently, the Third Respondent (Fero), and all those claiming occupation of the Applicants’ Properties through him, namely Number 409 Harare Drive, Pomona, Harare, Number 18 Cambridge Road. Avondale, Harare, and Number 75 King George, Avondale Harare, be and hereby ordered to forthwith vacate the said properties.
On December 21 2016, Ahmed obtained an interdict at the High Court against Mugabe, her son Russell and Fero, whom he accused of unlawfully occupying and taking over his three houses. In January 2017, the three respondents, through Mr Wilson Manase of Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners, approached the court seeking discharge of an order granted in favour of Ahmed by Justice Clement Phiri in December 2016.
Ahmed sued Fero this year after Justice Chiweshe cleared Mugabe and her son of grabbing his houses in June last year. In his ruling in June 2017, Chiweshe said Justice Clement Phiri had erred and set aside the ruling in terms of Rule 449(1) (a) of the High Court Rules 1971.
Ahmed was ordered to pay the costs of suit. Chiweshe also said that Mugabe and her son were never served with the urgent chamber application since they were out of the country on holiday. At the time police stated that they were occupying Ahmed’s houses as part of an investigation into accusations of money laundering and other offences against him.
First Lady Grace Mugabe bought a $1,3 million diamond ring from Jamal Ahmed in Dubai last year. She later demanded a refund when she changed her mind. However, the dealer was unable to refund the money instantly and requested more time. This did not go down well with Grace, who allegedly sent armed man to seize the dealer’s three houses.
Source: Pindula