A judge just trashed a shady default ruling that secretly handed state farms to a company. Justice Nyaradzo Priscilla Munangati-Manongwa ruled in favor of Obert Njazi and Francesco Marconati, stripping Lowveld Leather Products of their claim to Mlanje and Clifton farms. The Marondera firm previously secured a default order declaring the land theirs, basically erasing the state acquisition history while nobody watched.
Njazi and Marconati hired Lewis Uriri to argue that constitutional land seizures cannot be reversed through back-door court orders. They insisted their rights exist via state offer letters and leases. The 2020 judgment happened without even citing the President, which the applicants claimed made the whole process legally void since the state holds the title.
Lowveld tried arguing that these guys lacked standing and waited excessively to complain. They called Njazi a mere offer-letter holder and claimed Marconati possessed an expired lease. The judge rejected this, stating that people occupying government land absolutely have a substantial interest when a private entity tries to seize it back through procedural loopholes.
Munangati-Manongwa declared the original decision erroneously sought because material facts regarding constitutional status were missing from the initial hearing. She accepted that Njazi acted quickly once he learned about the mess recently. This victory restores the status quo, confirming that ownership vests in the State regardless of sneaky default judgments.
Njazi and Marconati hired Lewis Uriri to argue that constitutional land seizures cannot be reversed through back-door court orders. They insisted their rights exist via state offer letters and leases. The 2020 judgment happened without even citing the President, which the applicants claimed made the whole process legally void since the state holds the title.
Lowveld tried arguing that these guys lacked standing and waited excessively to complain. They called Njazi a mere offer-letter holder and claimed Marconati possessed an expired lease. The judge rejected this, stating that people occupying government land absolutely have a substantial interest when a private entity tries to seize it back through procedural loopholes.
Munangati-Manongwa declared the original decision erroneously sought because material facts regarding constitutional status were missing from the initial hearing. She accepted that Njazi acted quickly once he learned about the mess recently. This victory restores the status quo, confirming that ownership vests in the State regardless of sneaky default judgments.
