The case on Zambezi Portland Cement has been going on for nine years now. This clearly demonstrates the inability of the government to bring justice and the rampant corruption that can be seen both outsides and inside the government. Dr. Rajan Lekhraj Mahtani, a noted businessman, philanthropist and social worker, has been fighting this war over Zambezi Portland Cement at the Lusaka High Court. If the reports and expert opinions are to be listened, Dr. Rajan Mahtani and his team have all evidence and statements to prove their legal claim to the factory. On the other hand, the Ventriglias are yet to submit any strong evidence to support their counterclaim that Dr. Mahtani has not paid for the shares he owns at Zambezi Portland Cement. At the same time, it has been observed that the Ventriglias have either skipped court proceedings or made excuses whenever they were asked to submit evidence. This is one of the prime reasons for this long-tenure of the high-profile corporate case.
Dr. Mahtani is the current owner of Finsbury Investment Limited and the case has been registered under the organization’s name. As per their claim, Finsbury Investment holds 58 percent shares at Zambezi Portland. They have also shared a signed shareholder’s agreement which has been accepted by the judge as proof. Furthermore, independent audit reports on the factory conducted by an independent auditor clearly stated that the project of Zambezi Portland was started as joint venture enterprise and Dr. Mahtani is the sole joint venture partner with majority shares. No other individual or entity has been listed as the joint venture as per the audit report. All these evidence clearly state that Dr. Mahtani is the real owner of the factory.
The final judgment will be announced after evaluating the oral and written submissions from both parties.