Chiyangwa says land falls outside purview of inquiry

Trust Freddy Suburban Correspondent

Harare businessman Phillip Chiyangwa has refuted claims that he grabbed land from Chinese-owned firm, JC Delonics, citing four court rulings in his favour.

Mr Chiyangwa argued that he has owned the Helensvale stand in dispute since 2015 and the matter is, therefore, out of the purview of the Commission of Inquiry into the City of Harare operations because the commission is probing council from 2017 to date.

Mr Chiyangwa, accompanied by his lawyer,  Advocate Itai Ndudzo, on Wednesday appeared before the Justice Maphios Cheda-led Commission of Inquiry into Harare City Council operations to clear his name.

The dispute revolves around a property developed by JC Delonics into a car park for US$ 200,000 in the Helensvale area of northern Harare.

JC Delonics co-director Mr Nicholas Mandeya told the Commission last week that Mr Chiyangwa’s Pinnacle Holdings had illegally taken over the land.

Speaking through his lawyer, Adv Ndudzo, Mr Chiyangwa said he was infuriated that JC Delonics decided to tarnish his image before the commission, despite the dispute being settled by the highest court in the land.

“When they came before the Commission of Inquiry, they were fully aware that they had taken their issues to court.

“JC Delonics was the first to go to court over this land in 2023, claiming that Dr Chiyangwa, through Pinnacle, was claiming ownership of land that they believed was theirs, as it had been allocated to them by the City of Harare. They lost that case and also lost the case in the High Court.

“They went to the Supreme Court, seeking to stay their eviction from occupying Dr Chiyangwa’s land, but lost again.

“They went to the Supreme Court again, seeking time to appeal, and lost again. What infuriates Dr Chiyangwa is that they came before the Commission of Inquiry despite having four court judgments against them. They believe the Commission of Inquiry may somehow present them with a favourable outcome,” Adv Ndudzo said.

He said the Harare City Council told Mr Chiyangwa they had been misinformed that the land belonged to no one when he queried why they were leasing his land to another company.

“This is what prompted Dr Chiyangwa to say that, for the sake of his good name, he needed to address the impression created in the minds of ordinary members of the public, in the court of public opinion,” said Adv Ndudzo.

“Surely, Dr Chiyangwa could not have been allocated land set aside for a road, unless it was due to corruption or something similar. So, the whole purpose of his appearance today, although it was by request, is to clear his name.”

Dr Chiyangwa testified that he has held ownership of the land in question since 2015.

He further requested that the commission exclude him from the current inquiry, stating that his ownership falls outside the commission’s purview, which is limited to matters occurring between 2017 and 2024.

Retired Justice Cheda excused Dr Chiyangwa from the inquiry, but emphasised that JC Delonics’ primary concern with the Harare City Council, which had leased them the land despite it already being owned.