By A Correspondent| Former President Robert Mugabe’s preferred successor Sydney Sekeramayi has been dragged to court by the Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) after failing to settle a $311 000 electricity bill.

The struggling power utility company issued court summons against Sekeramayi who is also former Defence Minister on August 28, 2019.

It claimed that Sekeremayi has refused to pay despite numerous demands.

“On the 28th of September in Harare, the applicant and the respondent signed a Deed of Settlement in terms of which it was agreed that the respondent would pay the applicant a total sum of $319 000 being charges for electricity supplied by the latter to the former,” reads ZETDC declaration.

According to the court application, it was agreed that the amount would be paid in monthly instalments from September 2018 until September 2020.

It was also agreed that in the event of the respondent’s failure to pay any instalment due in terms of the Deed of Settlement, then the whole amount outstanding would become due and payable.

Sekeramayi, in breach of the agreement, has only paid $7 500 which he paid in instalments.

“By reason of the said breach, the respondent is now obliged to pay the said sum of $311 500 to the applicant,” said the power utility.

Sekeramayi is yet to file his response to the application.