FORMER ZINARA DIRECTOR IN US$169K ARREARS
FORMER Zimbabwe National Roads Administration finance director, Simon Taranhike, is yet to settle a debt amounting to US$169 000.
He was ordered by the High Court of Zimbabwe to settle the debt he accrued while he was running a Wimpy food outlet.
The outstanding amount is for rentals. According to court papers, Taranhike is the director of Firmside Management, which was trading as Wimpy, located at the corner of George Silundika Avenue and First Street in Harare.
The food outlet operated for more than three years without paying rentals to property owner, businessman Sammy Nyahokwe.
Taranhike was dragged to the High Court in 2014, where he was ordered to pay rental arrears amounting to US$169 000, excluding utility bills. He never honoured the order.
He was dragged, for the second time in 2015, to settle the arrears.
He didn’t honour the debt, at least according to Nyahokwe.
“To me, Taranhike does not comply with the law,” said Nyahokwe.
“From the day the High Court ordered him to pay my money, he never showed remorse or willingness to settle the payment.
“It was better for him to come forward and seek employment so that I would deduct his salary to clear his arrears but he is adamant.
“Wimpy First Street had been operating well and after I successfully applied at the High Court to evict him in 2014, he sold everything, including iron sheets and bars and he pocketed all the money.
“Ndirikuda mari yangu.
“Hazvina kunaka kuti adye mari yangu, uye sevanhu vamwe tipunzirane pasi nekuda kwamasimba asina kunaka aanovimba nawo.”
When he was evicted from the premises, on February 13, 2014, Taranhike was ordered to pay a utility bill amounting to US$20 149.
The City of Harare ended up descending on Nyahokwe forcing him to pay the bill.
Taranhike could not be reached for comment by the time of going to print.
A number of Wimpy food outlets in Harare have since been closed.