A reverend of Lusaka’s Kamwala South has dragged a company in Central Province called ‘Chibusa Wabonse General Dealers’ and its director, Elias Kate, to Court for failing to pay back K230,000, borrowed in 2016.

In a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court recently, Rev Godfrey Mulenga, who is also a farmer, stated that in June 2016, the defendants approached him while he was at his farm in Katikulula resettlement Scheme, seeking to borrow from him K260,000 to buy a heavy truck motor vehicle for business purposes.

He added that the defendants promised to repay the money by November that same year.

Rev Mulenga stated that the defendants convinced him to lend the money to the company, assuring him that the company had secured a contract to transport farming inputs and crops from farmers to government depots, and inputs to farmers.

He stated that he gave the defendants K230,000 to purchase the motor vehicle, but added that they had failed to pay back the money as promised.

“The plaintiff gave the defendants K230,000 and defendants purchased the motor vehicles and used them to conduct business, but failed to pay back the money as they promised. There is a breach of contract on part of the defendants,” read the statement of claim.

Rev Mulenga further stated that the defendants had been giving excuses about their failure to repay the money, yet they had continued securing contracts to transport the farming inputs and crops, which contracts paid them enough money to repay the borrowed funds.

He stated that he asked the defendants to give him the two trucks as payment of his money but they refused.

Rev Mulenga lamented that the said money was meant for the continued development of his farm and payment of workers, but the defendants had disturbed his plans.

He added that as a result, he had failed to farm or pay his workers.

“The defendants’ action has caused the plaintiff to lose workers. And the 35 hectares of land he had cleared and used to farm on has now become a bush,” read the statement of claim.

He is now claiming damages for breach of contract, payment of K230,000 being the money owed to him, damages for disturbing his plan to develop his farm and an order that the defendants immediately surrender the two trucks, or a house or the two shops situated in Chitambo District, Central Province in default of paying the K230,000.