Former Gokwe legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena has regained possession of his impounded luxury vehicles and haulage trucks following a High Court ruling that directed the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) and the Prosecutor General (PG) to comply with the earlier order for the release of his assets.
While the court had previously ordered the return of the assets, ZACC delayed the process, claiming ongoing investigations.
Wadyajena, a close ally of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, has been advocating for the return of his property, with many viewing his arrest as politically motivated. The case against him was dismissed after the state failed to provide evidence linking him to the alleged crimes.
The High Court’s Writ of Judgement instructed ZACC and the PG to execute the release of Wadyajena’s assets, stating, “The applicants are granted leave to execute the judgment HH 165/24 granted in case number HCH 4400/23 pending the determination of appeal numbers SC 250/24 and SC 254/24. The first and second respondents pay costs of the application jointly and severally, the one paying the other to be absolved.”
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ZACC had confiscated the property, accusing Wadyajena of acquiring it through illicit means, but he was removed from remand due to a lack of evidence. Wadyajena, along with former Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) officials Pius Manamike and Maxmore Njanji, who were also released, faced charges of fraud and money laundering involving US$5 million.
Under a warrant of search and seizure pursuant to Section 49(b) ARWS 50(1)(a) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act [Chapter 9:07], ZACC had seized Wadyajena’s property, which included 23 haulage trucks, a Lamborghini SUV, and a BMW X6M. Despite the court’s ruling, ZACC and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) had been slow to release the assets, citing dubious conditions.
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