High Court okays Chiangwa eviction

Source: High Court okays Chiangwa eviction – NewsDay Zimbabwe

BY MIRIAM MANGWAYA

THE High Court has granted the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFM) led by Amon Madawo permission to evict its rival faction led by Cossam Chiangwa from a property in Westgate, Harare.

This was after Chiangwa defied a High Court ruling of November 10, 2021, which ordered him to vacate the church’s property in Westgate after losing the battle for control of the church.

Madawo, through his lawyers Mtetwa and Nyambirai Legal Practitioners, then filed an application seeking services of the Sheriff of the High Court to evict Chiangwa and his AFM faction from the property.

The eviction order, dated January 19, 2022, read: “Whereas Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe obtained an order in the High Court of Zimbabwe on November 10, 2021 against Cossam Chiangwa of No 6 Kremio Drive, Marlborough, Harare, ordering him and those claiming possession through him to be ejected from and out of 696 New Ardlyn, Westgate, Harare, at present occupied by the said Cossam Chiangwa and those claiming possession through him,” the High Court order read.

“Now, therefore, you are required and directed to eject the said Cossam Chiangwa and all persons claiming (possession) through him, his goods and possessions from and out of all occupation and possession whatsoever of the said ground or premises, and to leave the same, to the end that the said may peacefully enter into and possess the same, and for so doing this shall be your warrant.”

Several cases have been filed at the court as the battle between the two AFM factions rages on.

On May 28, 2021, the Supreme Court ruled that Chiangwa was not the legitimate leader of AFM. Chiangwa accepted the judgment and went on to form a splinter faction and named it AFM of Zimbabwe, with symbols slightly different from the main church.