Westwood Engages UK's Foreign & Commonwealth Office Over Mliswa's "Usurpation" Of $2.1M Motor Vehicle Business

Paul Westwood has asked the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in London to pressure the Zimbabwean government to resolve the Westwood case in which he claims he was defrauded by Norton legislator Temba Mliswa.

The Westwoods were owners of a $2.1 Million motor vehicle business in Zimbabwe (Noshio Motors (Pvt) Ltd) until 2010. Paul Westwood co-owned the registered car dealer company with Hammarskjöld Banda and his wife Brendaly. Pindula News presents Westwood’s plea to the FCO:

I, therefore, ask that the FCO @FCO use its influence to ensure that in any discussions with govt, the WestwoodCase is highlighted as one that “must be resolved” if it wishes to normalise relationships with & the rest of the international community.

The Westwoods left Zimbabwe with their children in fear of their lives leaving all of their belongings behind having had their business removed from them in what appear to be deeply questionable methods, by Mliswa and others who were closely associated with the Robert Mugabe-led administration in Zimbabwe.

They have previously taken a case against Mliswa and others they consider being responsible for removing their business from them. 

In 2010, Mliswa (along with Martin Mutasa (Didymus Mutasa’s son) and George Marere) spent weeks in prison after being arrested for defrauding Westwood for US$1.05 million.

Mliswa and his co-accused were acquitted of the Noshio fraud case in June 2011. In August 2011, Mliswa and the others started proceedings to sue Chihuri and the police (including several members in their individual capacity) for unlawful detention. They demanded US$500,000. 

Westwood wrote to President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2018 to persuade him to resolve the Westwood case saying help the new government in its engagement and re-engagement agenda. He has not yet found assistance.

Meanwhile, Mliswa claims he is innocent.

More: Pindula News