Property developer Katsimberis faces jail time
Harare- PROPERTY developer George Katsimberis is facing jail time over failure to pay US$10 000, after he lost a High Court case in November 2020.
Katsimberis lost a property ownership wrangle against West Properties chief executive officer Kenneth Raydon Sharpe.
After a false start of the case at his instance, Katsimberis was then ordered by High Court judge Jacob Manzunzu to pay Sharpe for the wasted costs.
The High Court has since issued summons for Katsimberis’ civil imprisonment over the debt.
“You, the defendant (Katsimberis) is hereby called upon to pay plaintiffs (Sharpe) the sum of US$10 535 being taxed costs and charges of the abovementioned plaintiffs.
You are required to pay this sum by virtue of a judgment obtained against you in the High Court on the 30th of November, 2020 under which you were ordered to pay wasted costs.
‘If you fail to pay the sum specified above, you must appear before the High Court at Harare to explain why you have not paid it and show cause why an order for your civil imprisonment should not be made on your account of your failure to pay. You should bring with you evidence of your financial position and it will be in your own interests to give the Court evidence …,” reads part of the civil imprisonment order.
The court further ruled that it, “…will conduct an enquiry into your financial position and, depending on the circumstances, it may not commit you to prison, but instead give you further time to pay the sum due or direct you to pay in instalments over a specified period”.
Katsimberis is embroiled in several legal suits with Sharpe after he allegedly built a showroom at Pokugara Properties land without approved building plans from the City of Harare.