HARARE - Judge President George Chiweshe has postponed the matter in which excommunicated bishop Nolbert Kunonga is fighting to retain church property after a Supreme Court ruling declared him an illegal occupant.

Kunonga’s lawyer Jonathan Samukange is trying to turn the tables against the Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) arguing the church was not supposed to evict his client when his appeal had been set down for hearing at the High Court.

Speaking to the Daily News after the case was heard in chambers at the High Court yesterday, Samukange said the CPCA is approaching the courts with dirty hands.

“I am arguing that they should not have proceeded with evicting people and these are the matters which will be decided by the court on Monday,” said Samukange.

“Any eviction that took place after the matter had been set down for hearing should not have been carried out as that was contempt of court.

“The judge is going to consider all the issues raised but the main arguments have not been heard,” said Samukange.

Lawyers said Chiweshe has only heard the preliminary matters and has not heard the main issue in which Kunonga is sensationally claiming ownership of church properties using indigenisation laws and other pro-Zanu PF sentiments.

Thabani Mpofu, the CPCA lawyer, said the Anglican Church headed by bishop Chad Gandiya had already completed the eviction of Kunonga and his surrogates.

“Judgment was reserved to Monday and evictions of Kunonga have been completed.

“There is no possibility of anybody from Kunonga’s side going back to the churches. Our clients will have their church services as usual,” said Mpofu.