SENIOR chief Sikoongo of the Tonga speaking people of Chirundu and Siavonga districts has sued his former deputy chief and his former representative in the Lusaka High Court for allegedly selling land to foreigners without his consent, while he was unwell.

Senior Chief Sikoongo (Isaac Muzokela) and his son Israel have sued Peter Choonga (his former deputy chief) and Jethro Mandeva (former representative) as the defendants.

Senior chief Sikoongo is seeking an order to stop the duo from masquerading as deputy chief Sikoongo and representative of senior chief Sikoongo to conduct any clandestine meetings; to issue land ownership certificates; commit any nuisance and or disturbing his son’s (Israel) peaceful enjoyment of the role as his representative until the determination of the matter.

He also wants an order compelling the former deputy chief to surrender the motor vehicle, Toyota Quantum registration No. AIB 5170, village registers, blank land ownership certificates, the stamp and the seal to the chief’s council.

Senior chief Sikoonga further wants an order that the certificates issued by the defendants without the consent of him are null and void as well as an order compelling them to account for the illegally allocated land.

He also wants damages, interest and costs.

In a statement of claim filed in the Lusaka High Court, chief Sikoongo stated that he was unwell for some time after being diagnosed with cancer and was in and out of hospital.

He stated that the traditional group called Bana Mainga chose Choonga as his deputy chief to represent him in carrying out duties in the chiefdom.

Senior chief Sikoongo stated that Choonga was given conditions on how the deputy chief would operate and that on certain issues he (chief Sikoonga) would be the final decider to make decisions and to be the signatory on land transactions.

He, however, stated that Choonga and Mandeva took advantage of his sickness and dubiously started selling land to foreigners without any consent from him, contrary to the conditions and, therefore, constituted their own committees to the detriment of the Chiefdom.

The chief stated that the duo engaged in transactions of big pieces of land and foreigners were issued land certificates without his knowledge.

He stated that he was informed of the defendant’s misdeed from the masses within the chiefdom and Bana Mainga, but he could not do anything as he was sick.

Chief Sikoongo stated that the defendants have continued to be masquerading as deputy chief and representative even after knowing very well that they ceased to hold such posts immediately after the dissolution of their committees and suspensions of their duties.

He stated that after his recovery, his son, Israel, was appointed to assist carrying out the duties of the chiefdom, but the defendants were protesting despite the approval from Bana Mainga.

Senior chief Sikoongo stated that since Choonga and Mandeva were dropped from their positions, they have been fueling confusion by conducting clandestine meetings to discredit his governance.