Lusaka-based journalist Vida Mwale has emerged victorious in a legal dispute over vehicle ownership after a Kabwe court ruled in her favor, dismissing claims by a money-lending company that sought to seize her car.
The case was heard before Kabwe Principal Magistrate Pumulo K. Mubita, involving Christopher Mwenge, Chairperson of CTM Associates Ltd., who argued that his client, Joseph Chirwa, had defaulted on a loan allegedly used to purchase a maroon Lexus. Mwenge claimed that Chirwa had registered the vehicle in Mwale’s name while they were in a relationship. Following Chirwa’s failure to fully repay the loan, CTM Associates initiated legal proceedings to reclaim the car.
However, the court ruled that CTM Associates had no rightful claim to the Lexus. Magistrate Mubita determined that the money-lending company had not directly financed the vehicle’s purchase from Jan Japan and, therefore, had no legal grounds to seize it. Additionally, the court found that Chirwa had provided sufficient proof that he had personally purchased the car and had lawfully transferred ownership to Mwale.
With this ruling, the preservation order placed on the Lexus was lifted, and the court ordered its immediate return to Mwale.
Despite the favorable judgment for Mwale, CTM Associates and Chirwa have since appealed the decision in the Kabwe High Court, seeking to overturn the ruling. The case is expected to proceed to the higher court, where both parties will present their arguments once again.
Mwale’s legal victory highlights the complexities of vehicle ownership disputes, particularly in cases where third parties attempt to claim assets based on financial transactions between private individuals.