Masvingo Provincial Affairs minister Ezra Chadzamira is accused of trying to loot earnings for sugarcane farmers after he allegedly ordered Hippo Valley Estates to pay over $600 000 of their sale proceeds to Felistas Mnangagwa, whose address was given as the Zanu PF headquarters.

The woman is believed to be President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s relative.

Rowesai Pedzisai and Fadzai Chigowi have filed an urgent High Court chamber application seeking an interdict stopping the Hippo Valley Estates and Triangle Limited from depositing the money into Mnangagwa’s account.

In his application, Pedzisai, who is a sugarcane farmer at subdivision 78, said they had been carrying out production at the farm since 2017.

He submitted that he sold his sugarcane to Hippo Valley Estates and Triangle under a binding agreement that they would harvest the sugarcane from his farm and pay for the produce.

The farmers then approached the High Court under case number HC 5812/19 compelling Hippo Valley Estates and Triangle Limited to honour its end of the bargain and the High Court ordered the two sugarcane milling companies to give a statement of account detailing the amount the farmers are to get and they confirmed that Pedzisai would get $573 074,67 and Chigowi $91 292.

Pedzisai said on January 23 this year, he was surprised to receive an email from Hippo Valley Estates and Triangle Limited’s lawyer advising him that they had been instructed by Chadzamira to release the payment for the cane proceeds to Mnangagwa.

“The email leaves no room for doubt that Hippo Valley Estates and Triangle intend to comply with the instructions despite the fact that they have acknowledged in writing that the proceeds for sugarcane harvested at subsection 78 of Triangle are due to me,” Pedzisai submitted.

He said he does not know Mnangagwa and it was clear she wanted to reap where she did not sow.

Pedzisai submitted that Chadzamira lied in his letter that Mnangagwa was the farmer who maintained subdivision 78.

“I aver that despite the acknowledgement by Hippo Valley Estates and Triangle Limited, they have advised that they are prepared to unjustly and most importantly, unlawfully enrich Mnangagwa through the stroke of a pen engineered by Chadzamira. Should this court not intervene, a grave injustice will ensue, which I submit is not capable of being remedied or repaired,” his lawyers said.

“I have valid agreements entered into with Hippo Valley Estates and Triangle Limited and submit that the sold proceeds are due to me and not to any other party.”

Pedzisai said if the proceeds are released to Mnangagwa, he will stand to suffer irreparable harm as the income is needed for further farming activities and payment of employees’ salaries.

According to the farmers’ lawyer Shava, the summon papers were served by the messenger of court at the given address at Zanu PF headquarters on Sunday, but the officials present refused to sign for them.