Journalist sues agric firm for breach of contract

BY CHARLES LAITON

HWedza farmer and NewsDay senior journalist Tawanda Tafirenyika, has taken Life Brand Agric Services (Pvt) Ltd to court seeking over US$59 000 compensation following a botched contract farming agreement.

Through his lawyers, Mataka Legal Practice, Tafirenyika filed High Court summons on May 14, 2019 and the firm is yet to enter appearance to defend notice.

Tafirenyika said sometime in August 2016, he signed a memorandum of contract farming agreement with Life Brand Agric Services where he paid an initial deposit of US$650 which then entitled him to the benefits of the scheme that was scheduled for March 22, 2017.

“It was a term of the memorandum of contract farming agreement that defendant (Life Brand Agric Services) was supposed to –provide loans for irrigation set-up using solar system products from boreholes, dams and any other reliable water source, among other things for a quoted sum of US$24 000,” he said.

“Further, it was a term of the agreement that defendant was supposed to commence setting up irrigation infrastructure and complete the project within 90 days from the date of commencement of the agreement.”

The journalist-cum-farmer said Life Brand Agric Services, however, did not set up the irrigation equipment within the prescribed period despite him having paid a total of US$1 200 towards the services.

“Despite making these payments no irrigation equipment has been set up at plaintiff’s property. The plaintiff’s lawyer wrote to defendant on February 18, 2019 requesting that defendant attends to the breach of the agreement, but the defendant did not take heed of the request,” he said.

“Because of the breach by the defendant, plaintiff has suffered damages in the sum of US$57 850 and in spite of the demand, defendant has failed, refused and or neglected to install the irrigation equipment.”

The matter is pending.