Dokora challenges ex-wife’s demands
FORMER Primary and Secondary Education Minister Lazarus Dokora has challenged the demands made by his ex-wife for half of the wealth they accumulated during the three years they were married under customary law.
Although Dokora has not yet fully responded to the claims, he has filed his notice of appearance to defend at the High Court this week through his lawyers, Warara and Associates. Dokora’s former wife, Ms Mercy Hanyani, last month approached the High Court seeking an order that permits the distribution of assets acquired by the parties during subsistence of their customary union.
The two had one child together and Dokora paid lobola and performed other cultural rites in 2016, although they later divorced in September 2019. According to an application filed by her lawyers, Gutsa and Chimhoga Attorneys, when the two separated, Dokora allegedly retained all of the couple’s assets and only left her with the child and their clothes.
She argued that during their union, they acquired various assets, including an immovable property at 172 Carrick Creagh Township in Borrowdale that was registered solely in Dokora’s name.
Ms Hanyani claims that she made direct and indirect contributions to the acquisition of the assets, contributing all her personal earnings and supporting Dokora in his political career.
She said Dokora already had a farm in Bindura when they started living together where they grew maize and engaged in livestock production, keeping cattle, goats and chickens for sale, as well as a commercial stand in Rushinga where they ran a general dealer and a bottle store.
She wants to be given either the Mercedes Benz or the Ford Everest, a Kawasaki motorbike and some household property.
Her lawyers said Dokora could buy Hanyani’s share in the Borrowdale property within four months of an order being made by the court, or the property could be sold and the net proceeds split evenly. Ms Hanyani is demanding 45 percent of the value of the general dealer and bottle store in Rushinga.
The couple owned a Jeep Grand Cherokee, Nissan Navara, Toyota Prado, Land Rover Discovery and Massey Ferguson tractor, among other movable property and household goods.
The case is yet to be heard.
Crime Reporter
POLICE in Harare have increased patrols in and around the city with more deployments being made at hotspots where vehicle windows are being smashed by robbers.
This comes at a time when people have raised concern over the increase in the number of vehicle whose windows are being smashed at intersections in Harare.
Criminals are breaking into parked vehicles and stealing valuables while others just smash windows at intersections before snatching valuables.
Crime hotspots include the corner of Churchill Avenue and Borrowdale Road, Sam Nujoma Street and Herbert Chitepo Avenue, Harare Gardens and Africa Unity Square, the new round about along High Glen Road en-route to Kuwadzana, Simon Mazorodze and Willlowvale roads, Samora Machel Avenue and Rotten Row Road, Herbert Chitepo and Prince Edward close to Harare Polytechnic) and Sam Nujoma Street and Churchill Avenue. Most of the robberies, thefts and break-ins are committed at night.
Officer Commanding Harare province Commissioner Bernard Dumbura said from reports obtained everyday from various police stations, such cases were being committed in some areas.
“They could be isolated incidents, but they are not rampant from statistics that I receive on a daily basis,” he said.
“As police, we have been deploying to some of these places which are hotspots.
“On some days we deploy not less than 400 officers in the CBD and there are also reaction teams that are on the ground. Our patrol teams pass through such hotspots.”
Comm Dumbura said there were permanent patrols at some areas where robberies used to occur and some include Harare Gardens and the flyover along Julius Nyerere Way that leads to Chitungwiza.
Last week, a man lost cash and a pistol after thieves broke into his vehicle at Avondale Shopping Centre.
National police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi confirmed the incident saying investigations were underway.
“A 50-year-old man parked his car at Avondale shops and went into one of the supermarkets,” he said.
“On coming back, he discovered that his car had been broken into and a star pistol and US$5 900 had been stolen. The public is warned against leaving firearms and cash in vehicles.”
Messages have also been circulating on social media urging members of the public to be wary of criminals reported to have invaded some street corners in the city.