By A Correspondent- Schweppes Zimbabwe (PVT) LTD has lost a lawsuit involving 247 million rand with a South African supplier Blackey Investments (PVT) LTD.

High Court Judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi said a party to a contract should not be allowed to seek to invoke exchange control regulations as a way out of an obligation and where that party seeks to do so there must be congent evidence to show that the law was contravened.

“Accordingly the plaintiff has not made out a case for the issue of the declaratur as sought. It is ordered that the application by Schweppes be and is hereby dismissed with costs,” said Justice Chitapi.

Schweppes was represented by Advocate Thabani Mpofu instructed by Wintertons while Blackey Investments was represented by Advocate Firoz Girach instructed by Atherstone & Cook.