Efforts by former Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) Governor, Gideon Gono, to halt legal proceedings in a US$3 million debt lawsuit have failed after the High Court rejected his latest application for absolution from the case.
Gono, facing the suit both personally and as a director of affiliated companies including Lunar Chickens, was taken to court by South African company ASP Marketing CC over an unpaid loan. The dispute arises from a deal struck in 2009 in which Lunar Chickens agreed to buy 2,209.72 metric tonnes of maize at US$395 per tonne from ASP Marketing.
According to legal representatives from Chambati, Mataka & Makonese Attorneys, the maize was delivered to Gono’s New Donnington Farm in December 2009 and May 2010 as agreed. However, Lunar Chickens failed to settle the full payment. Instead, the company only paid US$140,000 between 2011 and 2012, leaving a significant balance of US$2.2 million, which also included deliveries of soya beans.
In 2023, Gono had attempted to dismiss ASP Marketing’s claim by arguing it was flawed due to technical issues. He alleged that the agreement was for the South African firm to receive equity in Lunar Chickens equivalent to the value of the grain delivered, rather than cash payment.
Gono also contended that the deal was unlawful, claiming that the transaction violated Zimbabwe’s Exchange Control Regulations. He argued that any such foreign currency transaction required prior approval from the RBZ—approval he claimed was never granted, even though he was head of the central bank at the time.
After the High Court rejected Gono’s preliminary objections, he appealed the ruling to the Supreme Court. But in 2025, the Supreme Court upheld the earlier decision by Justice Mafusire, who ruled that ASP Marketing’s claim should proceed to a full trial, finding Gono’s preliminary objections to be without merit.
The trial resumed in July 2025 before Justice Mafusire. ASP Marketing, represented by Advocate Fadzayi Mahere and instructed by Chambati, Mataka & Makonese, presented its evidence. In response, Gono’s legal team—led by Advocate Sylvester Hashiti and instructed by Tendai Biti Law—attempted to halt proceedings once again, filing for absolution from the instance at the close of the plaintiff’s case. They argued that ASP Marketing had not provided sufficient evidence to support its claim, including documentation proving liability or the outstanding amount.
Justice Mafusire dismissed the application with costs, describing it as “incredibly ridiculous.” He stated that the move appeared to be a deliberate attempt to delay the trial and criticized it as a misuse of the legal process.
With the application thrown out, the case is now set to proceed to a full trial, leaving the former central bank chief exposed to potential liability over the unpaid debt.
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