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Court stops timber business in Luwawa Forest

The High Court in Mzuzu has restrained timber traders from cutting down trees in Luwawa Forest in Mzimba District.

Luwawa Forest Lodge Limited managing director George Wardlow, through lawyer George Kadzipatike, applied for an injunction at the High Court to stop “wanton destruction of the forest” after failing to reason with the traders.

courtJudge Redson Kapindu ordered yesterday there should be no further cutting down of trees by the traders, agents or any other person around Luwawa Forest Lodge and Luwawa Dam until a further order of the court.

The traders claimed Luwawa Forest is not part of the lodge; therefore, Wardlow had no right to stop them from cutting down the trees.

However, in an affidavit filed at the High Court, Wardlow claims the forest has always been part of the lodge and letting the traders cut down trees has a potential to affect tourism and economic activities.

“The respondent and Lizulu Timbers have been cutting down trees around Luwawa Forest Lodge and Luwawa Dam wantonly making timber there from. I and other officials of Luwawa Forest Lodge have approached the respondent and other officials of Lizulu Timbers requesting them to stop the destruction of trees in the area but they have not even slowed down.

“The cutting down of trees will not only affect our tourism business and our right to economic activity but it more importantly contravenes the agreement between the Applicant and the Malawi Government Privatization Commission,” reads in part the affidavit.

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