Court Correspondent
Recent reports and headlines proclaimed that the decade long legal combat between former Cabinet Minister Dr. Ignatius Chombo and his ex wife Marian Muhloyi had finally reached its end following a recent High Court ruling. However, indications on the ground reveal that the protracted legal warfare is far from over.
Contrary to public impressions that the High Court judgment brought finality to the farm dispute, legal representatives for Dr. Ignatius Chombo are preparing to mount an appeal at the Supreme Court of Zimbabwe. Indications from Dr. Chombo’s legal camp signal a firm intention to challenge the ruling in its entirety.
Marian Muhloyi, the former wife of Dr. Chombo who currently serves as the Resident Minister of State and Devolution for Mashonaland West Province, was awarded rights in relation to Allan Grange Farm, alongside entitlement to occupy the farmhouse. News outlets swiftly characterized the decision as the final chapter in the dispute. Yet, Dr. Chombo’s legal team, Messrs Manase and Manase Legal Practitioners, is actively preparing to challenge the outcome, demonstrating that the legal battle remains live.
As Dr. Chombo’s legal team prepares to approach the apex court, the core arguments behind the intended challenge focus heavily on how the trial court handled the assessment and distribution of the 99 year leasehold rights for Allan Grange Farm.
In essence, Dr. Chombo’s attorneys intend to argue that the High Court erred by dividing leasehold percentage rights without first placing a concrete monetary valuation on them. They further contend that the court improperly treated leasehold rights as equivalent to physical land ownership capable of boundary demarcation and physical allocation on State land without the acquiring authority’s explicit consent.
Additionally, the defense team points out that key liabilities and debts linked to the farm’s operations were overlooked during the assessment, which they argue affected the net economic value of the leasehold rights. They also maintain that the court misdirected itself on the burden of proof regarding financial valuation and wrongly conflated operational farming contributions with an automatic entitlement to a physical share of the state property.
Ultimately, Dr. Chombo’s lawyers intend to seek an order from the Supreme Court setting aside the ruling and remitting the matter back to the High Court before a different judge to re evaluate the monetary value or dismiss Minister Muhloyi’s claim if no positive net value exists. Far from being concluded, the legal warfare between the prominent figures is set for another high stakes round.
