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. . . Landlords demand $600k in rentals, other costs

Daniel Nemukuyu Senior Court Reporter

The National Prosecuting Authority has been ordered out of Corner House Building in Harare, which houses its head office over non-payment of rent and operational costs to the tune of $600 000.Old Mutual Property, which owns the building situated along Samora Machel Avenue in Harare, has written to the NPA cancelling the lease agreement between the parties.

The property owners are also demanding payment of the outstanding debt — $282 030 operating costs and, $315 011 rent from the Advocate Ray Goba-led NPA.

On September 20, Old Mutual wrote to the prosecution indicating that the authority had breached the lease agreement by not paying rentals, but no action was taken.

As a follow-up to the initial letter, Old Mutual terminated the agreement on September 29.

The termination letter reads: “As a direct consequence of your refusal to rectify the breach, we hereby cancel the agreement in terms of clause 31 thereof.

“We demand, as we hereby do, that you immediately hand over the premises and that you pay the outstanding rental amount in the sum of $315 011 and $282 030 in respect of operating costs together with interest.”

Failure to comply with the demand, the NPA risks being sued by the property owners.

Asked to comment on the development, NPA spokesperson Mr Allen Chifokoyo referred all questions to Old Mutual.

“I cannot comment on that one. You can contact Old Mutual,” he said.

Sources said the NPA was likely to be homeless as its previous offices at the New Government Complex have since been occupied by other Government departments.

Last year, Justice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs secretary Mrs Virginia Mabhiza said the NPA, as an independent authority, had its own budgetary vote and it must not ask for funds from the parent ministry.

She proposed that the NPA should consider going back to the New Government Complex if they cannot afford to pay rent.

The Herald understands the NPA is having a tough time with prosecutors at stations like Mbare sitting on broken chairs.

Vehicles that came from the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe around 2008 are now worn out and most stations are operating without any transport.

Only a few smoking Rhino Cam vehicles are still on the road with the bulk of the RBZ-donated vehicles now grounded.

Sources in the NPA said prosecutors are struggling to get photocopying machines and printers for their operations to an extent that some are reportedly using their own money to access the services.