WINDHOEK -The national airliner, Air Namibia currently being sued by a Zimbabwean family who were allegedly denied travel to Turkey by the airliner’s officials for more than N$14 million in damages will have its property attached. 

As a result of the lawsuit, one of Air Namibia’s leased aircraft from West Air V5-WEB has been attached in Harare, following the High Court’s order to attach any of Air Namibia’s movable property at its official address situated at number 202, Joina City, Harare and to impound any of its airplanes situated in Zimbabwe. 

The airliner’s properties will be attached in Zimbabwe until the lawsuit case in the high court has been finalised. Air Namibia has challenged the decision that was upheld by the High Court in Harare. 

The order was granted on September 24, 2018, after Chenjerai Mawumba, his wife Juliana Magombedze and their three minor children approached the court seeking an order to confirm the jurisdiction for the High Court of Zimbabwe in the family’s US$ 1 million  (N$14.77 million) litigation against Air Namibia.

According to Zimbabwe Daily News Live, the couple is suing the airliner for pain, shock and suffering they have endured at the hands of the airliner’s officials. The article states that the family claims to have been unlawfully detained by Air Namibia officials before being deported back to Zimbabwe.

“The respondent unlawfully barred applicants from travelling to Turkey in violation of the agreement between first applicant (Chenjerai) and the respondent (Air Namibia). Further, the respondent’s officials illegally detained and harassed applicants at Hosea Kutako International Airport in Windhoek, Namibia for two days, thus occasioning the applicants pain, suffering and trauma.” 

“As if the humiliation and torture of not being allowed to proceed with our lawful journey was not enough, we were openly subjected to endless and disparaging remarks by the respondent’s officials on account of our Zimbabwean nationality,” Chenjerai said.

In a media statement, Air Namibia acknowledged one of its aircraft has been attached in Harare as a result of the pending legal matter that was instituted by the four Zimbabwean nationals. 

“Air Namibia is busy engaging a Lawyer in Zimbabwe to attend to the matter and advise the airline further. Also addressing the issue of attaching or not attaching a leased equipment,” says the statement.

The airliner noted that by law, leased equipment is not subject to attachment and they are currently working on having the aircraft released to allow for departure of the flight from Zimbabwe.
“At this stage it is not known what other financial implications the lawsuit will have over its operations in Zimbabwe.”