By Own Correspondent| Deputy Finance minister Terrence Mukupe continues to swim in debt amid revelations that a local school recently took him to court over $29 948 fees arrears for his two minor children.
The school, joins the long list of institutions which have in the past dragged the minister to court over debts.
The school, which could not be named to protect the minister’s minor children, filed its summons against Mukupe on June 18, claiming the minister owed the school fees arrears dating back to August 2017.
Claimed the school in its declaration under case number HC5614/18:
“Defendant (Mukupe) is the parents and natural guardian of two minor children (names withheld). As per the educational services offered to the defendant’s children, plaintiff (name withheld) charged tuition and levy for the same.
The customer ledger for the defendant shows that the defendant owes the plaintiff a total of $29 948 for the services rendered to the defendant’s children. The period for the amount above is August 2017 to April 2018. The above amount is still owing and accruing interest. Despite demand, defendant has failed, neglected, denied and/or delayed to pay the capital debt in question,” the school’s lawyers, Musoni Masasire Law Chambers, said.
However, Mukupe is yet to respond to the litigation.
On Wednesday, a Harare magistrate ordered Mukupe to return a mobile phone handset, Samsung S7 Edge, which the deputy minister allegedly grabbed from NewsDay journalist Blessed Mhlanga’s wife Florence following an altercation which occurred during a live radio programme at ZiFm studios in Harare early this month.
Magistrate Richard Ramaboea ruled in favour of the provisional order prepared by the journalist’s lawyer Chris Mhike.
Just recently, Trust Holdings’ banking subsidiary, Trust Bank Corporation (Ltd), petitioned the High Court seeking Mukupe’s incarceration over a five-year old $32 593 debt.
Mukupe, who is Zanu PF’s Harare East aspiring Member of Parliament, had obtained a loan from the financial institution.
Sometime last month, a Chinese-owned construction company also approached the court seeking an order to compel Mukupe to pay $28 000 following a botched building agreement signed between the parties in February this year.
In April this year, a local seed company, Seed Co Zimbabwe (Pvt) Ltd, also petitioned the High Court seeking Mukupe’s incarceration following his failure to pay $15 000 for seeds supplied to him in December 2013.-Newsday.