Mthonisi Nsingo a Bulawayo businessman who runs Double Fresh Bakery has filed a $2.1 million lawsuit against former Vice-President Phelekezela Mphoko for alleged abuse of office. Nsingo is alleging that his business collapsed when it was supplied with expired flour by Bulk Commodities and its directors Imran Shazaan and Qaumar Shazaan. When Nsingo tried to get compensation from Bulk Commodities for the rotten flour, Mphoko allegedly used his political office to protect the two Pakistani businessmen.
Part of the summons filed at the Bulawayo High Court read:
Subsequently, investigations were done against the 1st and 3rd defendants and they were arrested, when they were raided they were found to have in stock expired goods which they were selling as well as expired flour.
At that stage, the 1st and 3rd defendants had acknowledged liability to pay plaintiffs and had made arrangements to pay plaintiffs, however, at just about that time they refused to pay to claim that they were under the protection of the 4th Respondent (former VP Mphoko)
Nsingo alleged that he received a phone call from Mphoko which summoned him to a meeting. At the meeting, Mphoko allegedly told Nsingo in no uncertain terms to leave the Shazaan brothers alone.
The summons go on to say:
This was clear abuse of office from the 4th Respondent (former VP Mphoko) which abuse resulted in pecuniary loss to the plaintiffs as they could not be adequately compensated by the other defendants simply because of the protection they were afforded by the 4th respondent.
Mphoko and the Shazaan brothers are yet to file their responses.
More: Sunday News
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