Tycoon embroiled in US$1m debt row

Business
BY KUDZAI CHIMHANGWA HARAMBE Holdings owner David Govere who was last year arrested for allegedly defrauding a milling company of flour is now embroiled in a legal row over US$1,1 million debt that he owes Muga Foods.

Govere was in November charged with defrauding Mugandani Enterprises, trading as Muga Foods, of flour worth US$145 000.

The charges against the former Employers Confederation of Zimbabwe president were however dropped by the complainant before plea.

But according to High Court papers seen by Standardbusiness, Mugandani Enterprises’ lawyers resurrected the case last month by sending summons demanding US$828 518 it says it is owed by Govere’s Trinpac Investments for flour deliveries.

Trinpac Investments is part of Govere’s Harambe Holdings, which has interests in various sectors of the economy.

Govere’s company entered an appearance to defend but Mugandani’s lawyers have now applied for a summary judgement saying Trinpac was only trying to buy time.

According to the court documents,  between October and November 2010 Harambe Holdings, trading as Trinpac (Pvt) Ltd, was supplied, upon request for a credit facility, up to 19 800 bags of cake flour by Muga Foods to its various branches throughout the country.

Companies supplied includeed Superbake, Freshbake, and Downings.

Trinpac subsequently defaulted on payment of the US$693 000 for the flour and has allegedly remained mum on the issue despite efforts by Muga Foods to get payment for the supplies.

Early last month, Muga Foods filed a court application for summary judgement seeking to legally recover debt through attaching a US$700 000 property in Bulawayo, with a state-of-the-art baking facility, given to it as surety by Harambe Holdings.

The bakery plant on the property can produce up to 200 000 loaves per day.

The debt has since soared to US$828 000 before 41% bank interest rate accruals per annum and now stands at US$1 167 480, according to the court papers.

Govere accepted that he owes Muga Foods.

“Defendant has failed, refu-sed and/or neglected to pay the amount despite several demands in flagrant breach of the credit facility,” reads the application for summary judgement filed by Muga Foods’ lawyers, Sinyoro & Partners Legal Practitioners.