DIANA NSOFWA writes
@SunZambian
A Lusaka local court has ordered a teacher to immediately pay outstanding rentals, amounting to k3,750, on premises she used as a school but later abandoned it after six months.
Magistrate Harriet Mulenga, sitting with Pauline Newa, ordered Gladys Musopelo, 34 of Chunga Compound, to pay the money in two instalments to her former landlord Charity Banda, 46, of George Compound.
Ms Banda sued Ms Musopelo in the Matero Local Court for outstanding rentals on her property which the latter reportedly rented for six months but only paid rentals for one month.
“She was supposed to pay K1, 500 per month but she stayed for four months without paying,” Ms Banda said.
She said that Ms Musopelo told her that her husband had lost his job and that she would clear the amount as soon as he husband finds another job.
“She called me after one year that her husband had now started working and that I should go and collect my money but she started giving me stories when I went to try and collect it and later even began avoiding my calls,” said Ms Banda.
But Ms Musopelo told the court that she was only owing Ms Banda for 3 months because she already paid her K1, 500 prior to going into the house.
“I plastered the walls and she told me that she would deduct a K1, 500 from the amount, and she is holding my school chairs and tables,” she said.
Ms Musopelo said, “I phoned Ms Banda’s husband on the 1st February to arrange to take the money and collect my chair but he stopped me. So I used the money and I did not have it when she phoned me on Wednesday.”
The court ordered Ms Musopelo to pay K3, 750 in two instalments effective April month end.
