The five-year wrangle over property owned by the Anglican Diocese of Harare is set to end on October 22 with the Supreme Court deciding on all the seven outstanding appeals.
The appeals were grouped following a directive by Chief Justice, Godfrey Chidyausiku, last year in a bid to finalise the dispute.
- The cases will be heard one after the other on the same day, but the parties are yet to agree on the order to be followed.
- The Supreme Court is expected to determine the following cases on October 22:
- Bishop Elson Madoda Jakazi and another versus The Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa and two others (SC118/10).
- Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa versus Diocesan Trustees of Harare (SC180/09).
- Church of the Province of Central Africa versus Bishop Nolbert Kunonga and 10 others (SC130/10).
- Diocese of Harare versus Church of Central Africa and another (SC17/08).
- Nolbert Kunonga and another versus Church of the Province of Central Africa and three others (SC72/08).
- Nolbert Kunonga and other versus Church of Central Africa and three others (SC83/08).
- The Diocesan Trustees for the Diocese of Harare versus The Church of the Province of Central Africa (SC134/10).
Chief Justice Chidyausiku’s letter of September 29, 2011 stressed the need to end the property ownership wrangle once and for all.
The court is expected to determine the rightful owner of the property. It is also expected to decide on the legal consequences of the withdrawal or ex-communication of Archbishop Kunonga and his supporters from the Church of the Province of Central Africa in line with property ownership.
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