Brian Chitemba
A dispute has erupted between the late prominent businessman Jonathan Kadzura’s family and an estate executor, Mr Clever Mandizvidza, who is being accused of looting assets valued at US$250 000.
Family spokesman Mr Gregory Kadzura claims the executor sold a plot in Marange, poultry equipment, tractors, and commercial and private vehicles. The money allegedly did not reach its intended beneficiaries.
Gregory is the deceased’s son.
However, Mr Mandizvidza said “the allegations are baseless”.
“More so, there is one Gregory Kadzura who was claiming 50 percent shares of the estate. I defended the estate at the Supreme Court and he lost. He is fighting to tarnish the image of my profession,” he said.
The Kadzura family insists that Mr Mandizvidza has been dishonest as he allegedly disposed of assets without their consent.
Mr Kadzura narrated: “This (assets sale) was done without the family’s consent and we never received the money. On December 15, 2016, Mr Clever Mandizvidza of Zimbabwe Inheritance Services was appointed executor dative of the estate of the late J.K. Kadzura. This was after the family entrusted the Master of the High Court to appoint a neutral executor with an accounting background.
“Mr Mandizvidza, as executor dative, then disposed assets such as poultry equipment, tractors, commercial and private vehicles in excess of US$250 000, diminishing the company’s financial integrity.”
Some of the Kadzura business entities, whose interests straddled the farming and hospitality sectors, include Goodstorm Services and Rural Industrial Development.
Mr Kadzura said Mr Mandizvidza was initially given the greenlight to sell asbestos sheets and poultry equipment to raise money for school fees. The executor, however, reportedly did not surrender the money after the sale, resulting in the minors being barred from school.
“The minors were dumped by the executor and were forced to seek alternative methods to sustain and pay school fees. This means that the State was prejudiced of Master of High Court’s fees and taxes,” said Mr Kadzura.
The Kadzuras said they have made numerous trips to the Master of High Court’s office with no joy.
“Outside of the company assets, Mr Mandizvidza disposed of other properties without the family nor the Master’s consent, such as the Marange Plot and supermarket where the late J.K. Kadzura started his business empire, with the plot having been bequeathed in his lifetime to one of his older sons, Enock Kadzura,” he said.
The Kadzura family — made up of two spouses (Petronella and Joan Kudakwashe) as well as children Enock, Karen, Gregory, Marilyn, Christopher, Penelope and William Kadzura — has resolved to seek justice against the executor.
Marilyn told The Sunday Mail that Mr Mandizvidza has stripped the estate for his personal gain.
In response, the executor said he had evidence to prove that his dealings were above board.
“Indeed, the money reached the intended beneficiaries. The estate has minor children who require monthly maintenance. The funds went towards payment of estate obligations and maintenance. I will share contact details of the children who received the maintenance,” said Mr Mandizvidza.
“The estate is not liquid and I have had no option but to assist them out of my personal funds. However, I intend to claim same once the estate is liquid. However, if it fails to pay, I will consider it a donation.”
He said he has been paying a monthly maintenance of US$40 per month for several months to Marilyn and Joan Kadzura.
However, Marilyn denied ever receiving money from Mr Mandizvidza.
The executor added that some of the Kadzura family members were in the dark about plans to remove him as the executor as they did not attend a family meeting held on September 5, 2020.
He said the other family members’ lawyers wrote to him on September 11, 2020 raising objections to his planned removal.