Staff reporter
Gokwe-Nembudziya Member of Parliament, Justice Mayor Wadyajena’s world continues to crumble as ZACC continues to tighten the noose around Wadyajena and Mayor Logistics.
On Thursday 18 August, Wadyajena and four other Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) officials namely Pius Manamike (54), Maxmore Njanji (47), Fortune Maloi (34) and Chiedza Danha (39) were released on a ZW$100 000 bail each. The five were ordered to surrender passports as well as title deeds for their properties as part of their bail conditions.
Following an attempt to smuggle out one BMW X6 and one Lamborgini belonging to Wadyajena at the Beitbridge Border Post, a warrant of search and seizure was granted by Harare Provincial Magistrate, Barbara Mateko on 19 August. It stated that Wadyajena or anyone in possession or control of his vehicles should surrender them immediately.
“Whereas, from information taken upon oath before myself, there are reasonable grounds for believing that the Managing Director of Mayor Logistics (Pvt) and Justice Mayor Wadyajena are in possession or in control of the following vehicles which are required as exhibits in a criminal docket and that is necessary for the purpose of investigating or detecting a case of fraud,” stated the warrant.
The State alleges that in 2019, Wadyajena and accomplices opened up a local shelf company Pierpont Moncroix with intent to defraud Cottco whilst posing as Pierpont Moncroix Mauritius. Molai later recommended that Cottco seeks the supply of three million High Carbon Bale Ties with a value of US$2.6 million to carter for the 2019 ginning season.
State further alleges that another bogus request was made on 14 March 2019 totalling US$2 528 000 to supply three million two hundred thousand bale ties. Instead of supplying this order, Wadyajena and accomplices imported 25 haulage trucks from a United States (US) based company, Giant Equipment. These trucks were registered under a Zimbabwean company, Mayor Logistics.
Other fraudulent transactions included that of Manamike and Njanji’s second purchase order to Giant Equipment company valued at US$1 106 000 despite Cottco’s failure to receive first purchase order request. Various other transactions effected by the suspects include the US$2.5 million to Energy Park for payment of bales, US$363 900 part payment for Energy Park’s CBZ account, US$750 000 and US$450 000 transferred to Maropafadzo Energy (Pvt) Ltd Ecobank account respectively, US$421 000 transferred to Energy Park Bulk Fuels (Pvt) Ltd.
The seizure of Wadyajena’s assets put to rest claims by opposition party activists that ZACC practises catch and release when dealing with ZANU PF politicians while it deliberately targets opposition politicians. Wadyajena is not the first of the ZANU PF elite to be arrested. Former Minister of Labour and Social Welfare, Petronella Kagonye was jailed for theft of 20 laptops that were meant for schools under the e-learning project.
Other high profile people include the former Minister of Health and Child Care, Obadiah Moyo and the former Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Douglas Karoro who were both fired and charged for abuse of office and fraud by the Second Republic which propagates a zero tolerance to corruption.
