Home Affairs co-minister Kembo Mohadi could be left with egg on the face after a businessman, whose company he allegedly tried to seize at gun point, decided to liquidate the business.
Mohadi has been accused by Reginald McGillivray Dawson of using his political clout to forcibly take over his Beitbridge company after he was allotted free shares in the firm.
The businessman on Wednesday last week filed a High Court chamber application, case number HC1837/12, seeking to have the company, Nerry Investments (Private) Limited liquidated and its directors, who include Mohadi, divested.
“Pending the final determination of this matter, it is hereby ordered that Nerry Investment Pvt Ltd (hereinafter called “the company”) be and is hereby placed under provisional liquidation pending the grant of a final order of liquidation or the discharge of this order as the case might be,” reads part of the interim relief sought by Dawson.
“Barbra Lunga of impact Trust and Executors Pvt Ltd be and is hereby appointed the provisional liquidator of the company with powers set out in section 221 (1) and (2) of the Companies Act Chapter 24-03.
“The existing directors of the company are hereby divested of their powers and authority in such capacities.”
Mohadi, John Josias Moyo, Dawson and the late Thenjiwe Lesabe hold 25% shares each in the company.
The shareholding was changed after Mohadi allegedly stormed Dawson’s house with armed guards demanding a change of the company share structure.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Dawson said that happened after he had set up the business and Mohadi allegedly teamed up with Moyo to deprive him of his rights in the company, leading to the breakdown in their relationship. “The onset of the fallout really started when Mohadi arrived at my house on 13 November (last year) at 1pm being driven in his official ministerial motor vehicle and accompanied by two body guards armed with AK 47 assault rifles,” Dawson said in the court papers.
“He entered the house after being admitted in by my wife (2nd applicant herein).
“After he had been offered a seat and been offered a drink which he declined, opting for water instead, Mohadi interrogated me on the background of the Beitbridge Fuel depot, its ownership and the relationship between Red Queen Trading (Dawson’s other company) and Nerry Investment.”
“He was clearly after taking over its infrastructure, which I suspect he had just discovered were not part of the assets owned by Nerry Investments where he held his shares.
“I answered most of his questions about Red Queen Trading and Nerry Investments and the background of the fuel depot as openly and as I sincerely could. Mr Mohadi then demanded that he wanted the structure of Nerry Investments changed immediately. In the new shareholding structure of Nerry Investments Mr Mohadi demanded that there should be four directors with 25% each.”
Dawson alleges that he made the changes under duress after he was threatened with deportation like what was happening to John Moxon of Meikles Africa then, who had just been specified.
The businessman’s application comes after his first one, filed on January 10 this year, seeking to block the alleged grab by Mohadi and Moyo in which he got a reprieve. Moyo was also given free shares after working for Dwason for over 30 years.
