Chombo properties under threat

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PROPERTIES belonging to minister Ignatious Chombo risk being attached after he allegedly failed to honour terms of the agreed divorce settlement with ex-wife, Marian.

PROPERTIES belonging to Local Government minister, Ignatious Chombo risk being attached after the Zanu PF politburo member allegedly failed to honour terms of the agreed divorce settlement with ex-wife, Marian.

BY OUR STAFF

This emerged after the Sheriff of Zimbabwe recently served Chombo at his Makombe Building offices, with a High Court application for an order to enforce terms of the divorce settlement.

The two divorced by consent in September 2012 after four years of haggling over the distribution of Chombo’s properties.

Marian said in accordance with the divorce order, Chombo was supposed to sign all documentation necessary and legally transfer the agreed properties to her name.

But she said over a year after the divorce judgement was passed, Chombo had not effected title change of immovable properties into her name.

Marian said Chombo had also not given her a truck horse and AVM bus, together with their registration books. “I have engaged 1st Respondent [Chombo] several times requesting him to comply with the order of this Honourable Court,” she said in the court application. “Sadly, he has always found excuses for not doing so. Consequently, I now fear that the attitude of 1st Respondent is to simply disregard the order of this court.”

Marian said the Sheriff of Zimbabwe should be empowered by the court to “do all such things” (attach the properties) and sign all transfer documents as required to facilitate transfer of all properties granted to her.

She said some of the properties were held by companies in which the two were co-directors. She said the Sheriff should also be given the power to sign any company documents as may be necessary to achieve the terms of the consent order.

Last year, Marian’s lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa wrote to Chombo’s lawyer, Wilson Manase seeking to know why the Zanu PF secretary for lands was not complying with the provisions of the court order.

Manase could not be reached for comment yesterday.

But last year he told The Standard that Chombo was struggling to raise money to transfer the properties into Marian’s name as he was “poorly” paid as a cabinet minister.

The Chombos’ married under the Marriages Act Chapter 5:11 in Harare on 21 May 1993.

Under their divorce settlement, Marian among other things got six trucks, three trailers, an AVM bus, Toyota Landcruiser, Mercedes Benz, Twin Cab Hardbody and Nissan Wolf.

She also got the Greendale home, four flats in Queensdale, two flats along Mutare Road, two Shawasha Hills Stands, a Glen View 7 house and a plot in Ruwa.

Chombo on the other hand, retained a stand in Norton, four flats in Queensdale, two flats in Rhodesville, Mica Point stand in Kariba and all implements at Allan Grange Farm in Raffingora.

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