The former president of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) Philip Chiyangwa last week lost a court case in which he wanted the High Court to declare as binding the 240 hectares deal between him and Redcliff Municipality.
Chiyangwa, through one of his construction company, Pinnacle Holdings, had bought 240 hectares of land for $658 000 in 2009 and only paid $375 000 as a deposit.
The local government authority however later reversed the deal saying that the land had been sold to the COSAFA president at a give-away price.
The businessman then sued Redcliff Municipality but High Court Judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero dismissed the application with costs.
I am unable to grant the declaratory order.
The evidence is clear that the parties did not settle (case number) HC3439/2011.
The Deed of Settlement, which Mr Chiyangwa wanted the court to validate and order the transfer of title of the 240 hectares of land only had signatures of Pinnacle’s lawyers.
Prior to Chiyangwa suing the local authority, Redcliff Municipality had expressed interest in settling the matter amicably, but, was unhappy with the proposed terms of the draft Deed of Settlement which it considered as intolerably skewed in favour of Pinnacle.
More: The Herald