Opinionated Harare North legislator Norman Markham recently called for the prosecution of ‘fugitive of justice’ Kenneth Raydon Sharpe, his subordinate Tatiana Aleshina Ellis and Augur Investments for corruption.
This is contained in his answering affidavit to an ongoing High Court challenge against the transfer of 274 hectares of prime Harare land to Sharpe as payment for the construction of Airport Road.
Sharpe who is reportedly at large is also wanted in connection with a case of malicious damage to property after he connived with City of Harare officials to destroy a show house built at the corner Teviotdale and Whitwell Road in Borrowdale.
The former City of Harare Ward 46 Councillor said Sharpe and Aleshina’s revelations that they sought the audience of President Emmerson Mnangagwa to discuss an issue before the courts smacked of corruption hence must be prosecuted.
“The revelations in paragraph 74.3 of the opposing affidavit wreak of corruption. Tatiana Aleshina, Kenneth Raydon Sharpe and Augur Investments must be prosecuted for corruption,” said Markham.
In her opposing affidavit to Markham’s court challenge, Aleshina who is of Russian origin made sensational revelations that she accompanied Local government secretary to see Mnangagwa and agreed on an out of court settlement.
“During the Supreme Court proceedings and in the spirit of trying to reach a settlement, I accompanied the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Local Government to a meeting with the Head of State during which it was agreed that the parties should try and settle their differences as an out of court settlement,” said Aleshina in her opposing affidavit.
Markham question the logic of Aleshina going to see Mnangagwa alone without respondents to the court challenge.
“How is it that a party who has a case pending before a Supreme Court and a very weak case at that, seeks help from the Head of State? In which decent country does this happen.
“Furthermore, why were the respondents not called to this meeting? Why were the lawyers of the other side not called for?” questioned Markham.