The mining company Zimasco won an important court battle this week against lawyer Wilson Manase. The High Court stopped Manase from calling himself their rescue manager. Judge Faith Mushure made this decision Monday, helping Zimasco fight off businessman Shephard Tundiya and his company Avim Investments, who tried to take control. Zimasco also complained to the Law Society about Manase and another lawyer named Valentine Kwande for behaving unethically.
Zimasco managers expressed surprise that Manase tried becoming their rescue manager using court papers against "Sinosteel Zimasco," a completely different company with no connection to them. The real Zimasco says they have no money problems and Avim Investments is not their creditor. Company officials stated that the documents used by Tundiya against Sinosteel Zimasco had nothing to do with their actual business.
The recent court order blocks Manase temporarily until a full hearing decides whether Zimasco is truly separate from Sinosteel Zimasco. Zimasco makes ferrochrome and has operated in Zimbabwe's mining sector for many years. The company fights against both Manase and Judge Joel Mambara, who issued an earlier order letting Avim Investments take over the mining firm.
Zimasco claims Mambara's order targeted a non-existent company. Tundiya worked with Manase and businessman Denny Marandure to change Zimasco's bank accounts at Ecobank last March 17. The bank refused because the court papers named a different company. These men later visited Zimasco offices claiming authority to manage the company, but officials pointed out the order named Sinosteel Zimasco.
Avim Investments asked lawyer Kwande to "fix" the court order, claiming Sinosteel Zimasco operated as Zimasco. Judge Mambara approved this change without telling Zimasco they were affected. Armed with the revised papers, Manase tried again to access company accounts. Ecobank still refused to comply, leading Zimasco to file an emergency request to block the takeover attempt.
Zimasco managers expressed surprise that Manase tried becoming their rescue manager using court papers against "Sinosteel Zimasco," a completely different company with no connection to them. The real Zimasco says they have no money problems and Avim Investments is not their creditor. Company officials stated that the documents used by Tundiya against Sinosteel Zimasco had nothing to do with their actual business.
The recent court order blocks Manase temporarily until a full hearing decides whether Zimasco is truly separate from Sinosteel Zimasco. Zimasco makes ferrochrome and has operated in Zimbabwe's mining sector for many years. The company fights against both Manase and Judge Joel Mambara, who issued an earlier order letting Avim Investments take over the mining firm.
Zimasco claims Mambara's order targeted a non-existent company. Tundiya worked with Manase and businessman Denny Marandure to change Zimasco's bank accounts at Ecobank last March 17. The bank refused because the court papers named a different company. These men later visited Zimasco offices claiming authority to manage the company, but officials pointed out the order named Sinosteel Zimasco.
Avim Investments asked lawyer Kwande to "fix" the court order, claiming Sinosteel Zimasco operated as Zimasco. Judge Mambara approved this change without telling Zimasco they were affected. Armed with the revised papers, Manase tried again to access company accounts. Ecobank still refused to comply, leading Zimasco to file an emergency request to block the takeover attempt.
