Chitungwiza hospital dragged to court over $909k design bill

By The Standard | May. 11, 2018 | 2 Min read

Chitungwiza Central Hospital has been taken to court by a local architectural firm, Apex Design Architect (Pvt) Ltd, for failing to pay $900 000 design fees for its maternity and laboratory units.

BY CHARLES LAITON

The architects issued summons against the hospital on May 4 and the medical institution is yet to respond.

In its declaration, Apex Designs said sometime in 2006, it signed a memorandum of agreement to provide architectural design services at the hospital for an agreed fee. The architect firm further said the memorandum of agreement was subject to the architects’ by-laws, SI829 of 1980.

“Pursuant to the memorandum of agreement, plaintiff (Apex Design) rendered architectural design services in respect of defendant’s (Chitungwiza Hospital) maternity unit and issued an invoice in the sum of $136 609,65 for defendant to settle. Without just or reasonable cause defendant did not settle the fees,” the firm said.

“In the course of their relationship, plaintiff, at the instance of the defendant, also entered into another agreement where it rendered architectural design services in respect of defendant’s laboratory building. Fees were duly calculated and an invoice was issued in the sum of $772 936,66 for the defendant to settle. Without just or reasonable cause defendant did not settle the fees.”

The architect firm also said sometime in October 2017, it completed all the work for the hospital, but the medical institution made no payment towards its fees.

“Despite several demands defendant has refused, neglected and or failed to pay plaintiff’s architectural design fees. Wherefore, plaintiff’s claim is for payment of $909 576,71 being architectural design fees….. and interest at the prescribed rate from date of summons to date of payment in full plus costs of suit at a legal practitioner-client scale,” it said.