MINES minister Winston Chitando has been dragged to the High Court following a mine wrangle between two local firms — Anesu Gold (Private) Limited (Anesu Gold) and Golden Reef Mining (Private) Limited (Golden Reef).
In court summons filed before the High Court last week, Anesu Gold cited Mines ministry permanent secretary Onesimo Mazai Moyo, Mashonaland Central provincial mines and mining development director Tariro Ndlovu, Golden Reef and Chitando as defendants.
“Plaintiff (Anesu Gold) is the registered owner of the gold claims also referred to as Mangoro claims (Ipanema) in Mberengwa Area …Then it came to pass that at some stage the plaintiff received information that some of the mining claims had been forfeited …
“The third defendant (Golden Reef) has taken occupation and/or possession of the eight forfeited mining claims and is busy mining there, ignoring that there is a dispute between the parties… raging in Court. The third defendant is mining on the plaintiff’s juicy mining claims, with the aiding of the fourth defendant (Chitando),” the court heard.
The mining company demanded an order declaring the forfeiture illegal, saying it was carried out without proper notice.
“Plaintiff found out that the notices of forfeiture had been issued … by sticking them on the notice board at the third defendants’ offices in Gweru … The plaintiff never saw, let alone received the notices and therefore the plaintiff was not aware of the notices until after the event …
“The whole procedure … was wrongful, unlawful, malicious, illegal and motivated with greed and laced with cries about corruption, for a lack of better words.”
Anesu Gold further urged the court to set aside the forfeiture claiming it was only meant to benefit the defendants.
“The conduct of the defendants …was motivated by greed … in that the fourth defendant awarded the said special grant to the third defendant, a company in which he has an interest in as one of the directors and shareholders through his company, Windev Investments (Private) Limited.
“The said forfeiture was not genuine but just a gimmick for a personal benefit of the fourth defendant,” the company said.
Chitando, Moyo, Ndlovu and Golden Reef are still to file their responses.