Staff Writer
National Democratic Party leader Martin Lukato, the head of Chisinzi village, has filed a lawsuit against EMS Contractors, a local construction company, for allegedly violating the graveyard where eight of his family members are buried.
Lukato is suing the contractor for N$400,000 for disturbing his family graves in Chisinzi village, Zambezi region, in 2017.
“It is on the foregoing premises that the defendant is liable to the plaintiff for the payment in the amount of N$400 000 for violating and damaging the plaintiff’s family graveyard,” reads Lukato’s court documents.
“During the year 2015, the Defendant was contracted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry to perform certain services under phase 2 of the Katima Mulilo- Kongola Water Supply Project. Before the commencement of the digging of the trenches, it was required of Defendant to consult and apprise affected communities of the nature and purposes of the construction activities,” read the documents.
Lukato is claiming the graves belonged to his parents and two of his brothers.
The pipelines were surveyed to run through Makanga area, particularly Chisinzi village.
Additionally, Lukato is claiming the contractors did not consult the owners of the property as they were required by law.
“The defendants were further required to consult and obtain the permission of the owners of the properties which might be negatively impacted by the digging of the trenches,” said Lukato
The court case has been postponed to 4 August 2022 for a case planning conference.
