A High Court judge in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city, has ordered John Nkomo, a minister of state in the office of President Robert Mugabe and chairman of the long-ruling ZANU-PF party, to surrender a tourist lodge he seized in Matabeleland.
Nkomo has been seeking for several years to assume control of Jijima Lodge, a tourist accommodation in Lupane, Matabeleland North province, from a local businessman.
The lodge is near Hwange Game Park, a tourist destination in the western region.
High Court Judge Francis Bere on Tuesday upheld a ruling he made in 2006 when he blocked an attempt by then-Minister of Lands Didymus Mutasa to withdraw an offer letter from Langton Masunda, current owner of the property.
A security officer for Nkomo was arrested last month for allegedly shooting Masunda’s brother at the lodge.
Masunda told reporter Jonga Kandemiiri of VOA's Studio 7 for Zimbabwe that he hopes the Zimbabwe Republic Police and the court sheriff will enforce the order.
VOA was unable to reach Nkomo for comment on the decision.
