Land developer George Katsimberis is requesting a reference from the Constitutional Court in order to challenge July Moyo’s acts over the contentious Deed of Settlement between the City of Harare and the contested Augur Investments OU, which is controlled by Kenneth Raydon Sharpe.
As per the agreement, Sharpe’s company was protected from lawsuits over the contested land he acquired in 2007 from the cancelled Airport Road Construction project.
Katsimberis alleges in this court case that the State is biased and has hidden crucial documents.
At the center of the dispute is the indemnity granted to Augur Investments OU, which Katsimberis claims provided them with significant advantages in their dealings with the City of Harare and other parties.
Additionally, he challenges Herbert Gomba, the former mayor of Harare, and Hosiah Chisango, the town clerk, on their signatures on the Deed of Settlement.
Furthermore, Katsimberis highlights the intricacy of the Joint Venture Agreement between the City of Harare and Augur Investments OU and requests details on it.
Katsimberis denies that the City of Harare has issued a demolition order and demands that any such action be preceded by prior notice.
In a transaction with Sharpe’s Pokugara Properties, Katsimberis is accused of cheating the company out of US$1 million. The deal involved building a showroom that the City of Harare later razed without a court order.
Even though the City of Harare has confirmed that the blueprints are permitted, he disputes the charge that he is employing unapproved building designs.
For his defense, Katsimberis asks the State for more information. The next planned date of the trial is September 19, 2023.
Without holding a tender, Augur Investments controversially won the building contract for the Harare Airport Road in 2008.
After only constructing 2.7 of the planned 20 km, the government terminated the deal, despite the fact that council had previously given Augur Investments 273,299 hectares of land in the Pomona region of Borrowdale.
According to the deal, 90% of the expenditures would be covered by land and 10% would be paid in cash for Augur Investments to build the Airport Road that connects the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport with the central business area.
Legal problems have resulted from Fairclot Investments, business as T&C, handling the 2.7 km stretch for Augur Investments and claiming they were not compensated for their services.
