INVESTOR EXPLAINS CHURCH LAND WRANGLE
Andrews Presbyterian Church in Kitwe allegedly encroached on the piece of land which initially belonged to Highland Investments and was now trying to seek sympathy from various government offices by claiming that the new owner of land, Marblearch Investment Limited, was threatening to demolish the house of the Reverend.
Marblearch Investment Limited Property Manager, Noah Chitumbo, said the church illegally constructed the house of the Reverend on a piece of land in Parklands on Lukasu Drive which by that time belonged to Highland Investment despite knowing that the piece of land did not belong to the church.
Reverend Chitumbo was reacting to media reports that there was a land wrangle between the church and Marblearch Investment Limited which bought from Highlands Investment.
Last week, St Andrews Presbyterian Church Reverend In-Charge Lazarus Chirwa said Marblearch was planning to demolish his house as the company was claiming that it was built on its land.
Reverend Chirwa said the church was shocked that the council had decided to give a piece of land to Marblearch to construct a block of flats on the riverbed.
But Reverend Chitumbo said there was no wrangle between his company and the church, explaining that the land belonged to Marblearch Investment Limited, which had constructed blocks of flats worth US$1.2million.
He said it was sad that the church decided to take the matter to the
media when the company was thinking of resolving the matter in an amicable manner.
"To start with, there is no land wrangle between the church and Marblearch Investment Limited because that land belonged to Marblearch Investment Limited, which has put an investment of blocks of flats worth US$1.2million.
"So because the church went to the press and tried to seek sympathy, we will rectify the mistake and get the position of land which belong to us, as Marblearch Investment Limited,'' Reverend Chitumbo said.
Reverend Chitumbo said Marblearch Investment Limited bought the piece of land from Highlands Investment of Kitwe and the plot was on title and the plot number is 7322 Lukasu drive in Parklands residential area of Kitwe.
He said before Highlands sold the land to Marblearch Investment Limited, it tried to resolve the issue with the church, but the church was uncooperative.
"Highlands investments limited had promised to construct the house after demolishing the one which was illegally built on its land, but the church board decided that the matter be subject to the discussion of the church board.
"From that time, the church took long and Highland decided to sell the land to Marblearch Investment Limited because the church did not come back for a feedback,'' he said.
But, Kitwe Town Clerk Mbulo Seke said the church encroached on the piece of land belonging to the Marblearch and the best the council can do was to mediate between the investor and the church "I can confirm the land dispute between the church and Marblearch, but my comment is that the church encroached on the piece of land belonging to Marblearch and the best way to handle the matter was to mediate between the investor and the church
"Yes, to mediate between the church and the company to secure the owner's consent to forgo the piece of land where the church has constructed a house in order to maintain peace and harmony,'' he said.