By A Correspondent| President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s name has appeared on a secret deal that could prejudice City of Harare of prime land valued at over US$200 Million after he reportedly accepted to a transfer of stand number 654 Pomona measuring 274 hectares to a controversial Ukrainian businessman Kenneth Raydon Sharpe as payment for the construction of only 4 kilometers Airport road.

Title deeds of the land in question are in the name of the President of Zimbabwe.

This leaves question marks as to how Mnangagwa got involved in an agreement entered between City of Harare and a private contractor, Augur Investments.

Responding to a High Court application filed by Harare North legislator and former Harare councilor Allan Norman Markham against the land transfer, Sharpe’s top aide, Tatiana Aleshina implicated Mnangagwa saying he agreed on an out of court settlement which culminated in the Ukrainian ‘fugitive’ getting 274 hectares as payment for the work done on Airport road.

“During the Supreme Court proceedings and in the spirit of trying to reach a settlement, I accompanied the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government to a meeting with the Head of State during which it was agreed that the parties should try and settle their differences as an out of court settlement,” reads part of Aleshina’s response to the High Court application.

“The permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government thereafter called a meeting of the City of Harare officials that is the Town Clerk Abraham Chisango and the Mayor Councilor Herbert Gomba. There were also other Ministry and City Officials. It was agreed that parties would try to negotiate a mutually Deed of Settlement,” added Aleshina.

According to an independent valuator, Mike Juru of Intergrated Properties, Stand Number 654 Pomona Township is valued at US$75 per square metre.

274 hectares is 2 740 000 square meters which translates to US$205 Million.

In his application, Markham together with Jacob Pikicha and Tavonga Savings Scheme wants the land deal between City of Harare and controversial ‘land baron’ Sharpe to be reversed on the grounds that it was not only illegal but a “grand theft” of land belonging to the people of Zimbabwe.

“The signatories to that agreement namely Herbert Gomba and Hosiah Chisango (COH), who purported to act on behalf of the City of Harare did not have any authority from the City of Harare. The honourable Minister July Moyo lacked authority from the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe and the Deed of Settlement itself is against the public policy of Zimbabwe, it being founded on illegal and extremely corrupt set of facts.”

Markham and his co-litigants labelled the agreement a complete fraud and a massive land heist against the people of Zimbabwe.

“Further the agreement represented a complete fraud, a massive land heist against the people of Zimbabwe. The Deed of Settlement is also a nullity because the agreement contained provisions that purport to grant criminal immunity to Augur Investments and its associates. To that extent, it is an agreement that offends the laws of Zimbabwe and in any event it’s an agreement contra to public morality,” further reads the application.

The Deed of Settlement entered between Mnangagwa, City of Harare and Sharpe says the parties involved will will not take any legal action against each other with undertaking to facilitate the transfer of 654 Pomona Township to Augur Investments within 14 days.

“Upon signature of this Deed of Settlement, the Minister (July Moyo), City of Harare and Augur undertake to withdraw all and any legal actions and proceedings, both civil criminal, pending against each other before the courts.

“The minister undertakes to instruct the Coghlan, Welsh and Guest to release the title deeds to stand number 654 Pomona Township to Augur. Immediately thereafter, the Minister and/or the President shall sign all and any documents necessary to facilitate and effect the transfer of the said stand to Augur or its nominee, Doorex Properties within 14 days.

“The COH guarantees that it has the requisite authority to sign this Deed of Settlement. The minister (July Moyo) warrants that he has the requisite authority from the Government of Zimbabwe and the President to sign this Deed of Settlement as well as all the necessary documents involved in the transfer of Stand 654 Pomona Township to Augur.

“Further to the above the above, the ministry and COH, in the spirit of Zimbabwe being open for business and to support Augur in its continued investments, undertake, subject to statutory compliance, to expedite the issuance of all and any necessary licences and permits to Augur and its related companies for any of its developments which it is carrying out in Harare.”