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Bredenkamp’s private jet saga takes new twist

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Business mogul John Arnold Bredenkamp has retained his private jet after reaching an out-of-court settlement with his business friend Yaqub Mohamed,

BY CHARLES LAITON

Business mogul John Arnold Bredenkamp has retained his private jet after reaching an out-of-court settlement with his business friend Yaqub Mohamed,

The jet was set to be auctioned over a US$205 000 debt, according to High Court judge president Justice George Chiweshe’s ruling which, however, came long after the two had found common ground.

In a judgment handed down on May 13, 2019, Justice Chiweshe threw out an ownership claim by Longhorn Limited, which had made an application seeking to bar the sheriff of the High Court from selling the plane.

But, documents released by Bredenkamp’s lawyers, Atherstone and Cook, shows that the attached plane was released on December 17, 2017 even though judgment in the matter that had been presented before Justice Chiweshe remained pending until last month.

On December 18, 2017, Mahomed’s lawyers Venturas and Samukange Legal Practitioners confirmed the release of the plane after Bredenkamp paid the capital, legal, sheriff’s and actioneer’s fees in full.

In a bid to set the record straight, Atherstone and Cook’s lawyers, wrote a letter dated May 29, 2019 addressed to the sheriff of the High Court highlighting the new developments.

“We (Atherstone and Cook) advise that the judgment which had led to the execution was subsequently satisfied prior to the full judgment being delivered and the attached asset (private jet) was secured and released,” the lawyers said.

“We, therefore, confirm that as the matter was settled there will not be any further action based on the court’s decision on this regard. By copy of this letter, the judgment creditor’s legal practitioners are duly advised and are called upon to confirm same.”

Meanwhile, Bredenkamp has also successfully challenged the US$170 000 legal costs bill that had been claimed in the legal battle after High Court judge Justice Clement Phiri ordered the drawing of a revised bill of costs to reflect certain adjustments.

The judge ordered Mahomed to pay the costs of suit in the taxation matter.