Shamir Jussab has challanged a court action by his former father-in-law Business mogul Abdul Karim Batatawala at Midima Magistrates Court in Blantyre over vehicle ownership.
At the centre of the feud is a 2019 Toyota Fortuner registration number BX4246 which Batatawala, through his company, Lido Electrical, claims he borrowed his daughter Alisha to use the car while she was married to Shabir.
However, court documents show that Jussab, through his company RR Trading, already paid for the vehicle in full as evidenced by a change of ownership letter to the road traffic directorate where Batatatawala clearly indicates that the car was sold to Jussab.
In summons filed through his lawyers Mbeta & Company on 26 October, Batatawala claims that he allowed Jussab to transfer ownership of the vehicle to his name in August 2020 as it was difficult to get Certificate of Fitness and Insurance for the vehicle while it was registered in Batatawala’s name.
“The said Mohammed Shabir Salim Jussab and Alisha Mohammed Shabir Jussab are now divorced, as such the motor vehicle cannot continue being in the name of Jussab,” Batatawala’s summons read.
In presenting his defence through his lawyers Clarkes Attorneys, Jussab argues that he bought the vehicle from Batatawala and registered it in his business name after all payments were done.
“The change of ownership was done for no other purpose than to reflect the legal status of the vehicle after we finished paying for it,” his defence reads.
In a counter claim, Jussab contends that, while he was out of the country, Batatawala unlawfully took the vehicle and has refused to hand it back despite several efforts.
As evidence, Jussab presents six payment vouchers of amounts ranging from K5.2 million to K23 million and totalling K60 million that he made for the purchase of the vehicle from August 2020 to January 2021.
The pair are currently entangled in a different legal battle where the Batatawala wants to Jussab arrested for allegedly insulting him via Facebook and WhatsApp.
Jussab, who is currently in Saudi Arabia for personal business, faces allegations of cyber harassment against Batatawala, a prominent businessman with a controversial reputation.
Beatrice Mikuwa, the spokesperson for the South West Region Police, stated that Malawi Police have initiated an Interpol alert to apprehend Jussab and bring him back to Malawi.
The allegations against Jussab involve violations of section 86(b) of the Electronic Transaction and Cyber Security Act.
The police assert that between July and August 2023, Jussab employed his computer system to disseminate threatening messages, directed at causing harm to Batatawala and his family.
Jussab, who is estranged from Batatawala’s daughter, is currently situated in Saudi Arabia alongside his son. Additional charges claim that Jussab, 32, also used WhatsApp messages during the same period to intentionally disrupt or attempt to disrupt the peace, privacy, or tranquility of Batatawala and his family members.
The warrant reads, “You are hereby directed to arrest the said Shabir Jussab and to produce him before this court in execution of this your warrant and herein fail not.”
