The High Court has issued a 30-day order for taking over 22 trucks owned by Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena pending investigations into allegations of fraud.
The Herald reports that the holding of the trucks can be extended under the law as investigations progress and a trial and court dates are set down.
After the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZZACC) obtained the emergency warrant of search and seizure at the magistrates’ courts at the weekend, the National Prosecution Authority on Monday went to the High Court and successfully applied for a property seizure order before Justice Pisirayi Kwenda.
Subsequently, the ZACC investigator was designated as the official to hold onto the trucks.
In granting the latest order, Justice Kwenda authorised the ZACC official to enter Mayor Logistics business premises to seize the entire fleet. He said:
The purpose of this property seizure order is to preserve the said property from dissipation or alienation pending investigations into allegations of fraud and money laundering….
In addition to the 22 trucks listed in the court order permitting the seizure granted at the lower court, the same order allows ZACC to hold two luxury cars, a Lamborghini and BMW X6, temporarily held by Beitbridge Border Post authorities last Friday while they were on their way to South Africa.
The five are accused of diverting Cottco‘s US$5 million meant for buying bale ties to the trucks now allegedly being used by Wadyajena.
But the trucks and other assets now being sought and seized are more likely to be forfeited to the State in a separate civil application under a law meant to reclaim assets acquired through unlawful activity.
Wadyajena and his accomplices were granted $200 000 bail each by a Harare regional magistrate, Mr Stanford Mambanje, who also ordered them to surrender the title deeds to their personal properties as surety.