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Deputy Sheriff Attaches MDC-T, Tsvangirai Property


MDC-T supporters in one of the rallies in Zimbabwe. (Photo: MDC Facebook Page)
MDC-T supporters in one of the rallies in Zimbabwe. (Photo: MDC Facebook Page)

The messenger of court on Friday attached three vehicles at the Movement for Democratic Change’s Harvest House headquarters in Harare to settle a $492,000 labour civil lawsuit.

The messenger of court also raided party leader Morgan Tsvangirai’s residence where they destroyed the main gate.

Officers from the deputy sheriff’s office arrived at the MDC’s Harvest House headquarters in the company of heavily armed police and attached three vehicles that were parked at the opposition party’s offices.

The action taken today against the main opposition party was necessitated by former employees, Hadson Mavhangira and 13 others, who won an arbitrary award against they party.

MDCT’s spokesperson, Obert Gutu, says the vehicles that were attached by the messenger of court do not belong to his party.

After attaching the vehicles, the officers of the court proceeded to Mr. Tsvangirai’s Highlands mansion where they broke the main gate to gain entry into the former premier’s house.

Gutu, who is representing the MDC and its leader in this case, said some of Mr. Tsvangirai’s household property had already been taken out of the house when he sought the intervention of the High Court.

Gutu said the actions of the deputy sheriff were illegal as the matter was pending before the courts following an urgent application filed by the MDC-T seeking stay of execution of the labour court award.

He said today’s incident was well-choreographed to embarrass the former prime minister.

Papers filed by the MDC-T at the High Court say Mavhangira and his colleagues should not be paid by the party after they allegedly deserted it at the height of factional fighting, which led to the formation of the MDC Renewal Team.

Studio 7 failed to get a comment from the lawyers representing Mavhangira and others.

Political commentator Dumisani Nkomo said the attachment of MDC-T and Tsvangirai’s property shows that all is not well in Zimbabwe.

He says the party is likely to face problems in the near future due to lack of funds.

Meanwhile, freelance journalist Edgar Gweshe and an official of the Chitungwiza Residents Trust were arrested today for allegedly taking pictures at the Harare Remand Prison where civil society had visited leaders of the National Vendors Union of Zimbabwe, Samuel Wadzai and Stan Zvorwadza, who were remanded in custody on charges of public violence.

A member of the Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, Tonderai Bhatasara, was dispatched to seek the release of Gweshe and Chirisa but the attorney said he had not made progress in accessing his clients as he was not allowed to see them.

Wadzai and Zvorwadza were arrested last week when they went to Town House to release the wares of street traders that were confiscated by municipal police during a crackdown on vendors.

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