Court orders man to pay K2, 600 rental arrears

RABECCA BANDA writes

THE Chilenje Local Court has ordered a Lusaka man to pay K2, 600 in outstanding rentals.
Edgar Mwango, 42, of Chipata compound was sued by his former landlord William Changamiko, 42, a civil engineer of Nyumba Yanga residential area..
Changamiko said he owns property in Chipata compound where Mwango was renting.
“He shifted into the house in September 2017. The agreed payment was K500 per month,” Changamiko said.
“From the beginning he used to struggle to pay until in March 2018, when he paid K400 and remained with a balance of K100,” Changamiko said.
“He stayed in the house from April to August 2018 without paying anything. He owes me K2, 600,”Changamiko said.
He asked Mwango for the money on several times but said he was not working and could not manage to pay,” Changamiko said.
“I understood his problems and gave him more time. He agreed and said he would pay as soon as he gets a job,” Changamiko said.
He said Mwango got a job at a security guard at a certain company and promised to pay me K200 per week to clear arrears but he has not done so to date,” Changamiko said.
“He failed to honor his promise and that prompted me to ask him to vacate the house on the 10th of September 2018 after we made an agreement of payment where we both signed that he will start paying the money starting October 2018,”Changamiko said.
A month passed by without hearing from Mwango who later told him that he did not have any money and consequently blacklisted Changamiko phone number.
“I tried to search for him but he was nowhere to be found. I sent the summons through his sister. I want the court to help me recover my K2, 600 in the shortest possible time. My money has been pending for a long time.” Changamiko said.
The two were appearing before presiding senior local court Magistrate Patrick Nyirenda.
In defence Mwango explained that he was working at the time he shifted into the house, but unfortunately he lost the job and that was what caused him to have problems with rental payments.
“I got another job but I didn’t pay anything because I had a lot of problems at home. Because of the arrears I owed, he asked me to leave the house,” Mwango said.
Mwango however told the court that he will pay the money in installments when started working next month.
The court ordered Mwango to pay the K2,600 in installments of K500 per month and the last payment to be K600.
ENDS