The High Court has ordered the return of Justice Mayor Wadyajena’s fleet of vehicles, which were seized by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) in 2022.
The seized vehicles, including haulage trucks and a Lamborghini SUV, were part of an investigation into allegations that the former Gokwe-Nembudziya MP (ZANU PF) defrauded the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (COTTCO).
Wadyajena, along with six others, including some COTTCO managers, was arrested and charged in 2022 with three counts of money laundering and three counts of fraud.
They were accused of defrauding COTTCO of millions of US dollars by creating false invoices for the supply of bale ties to the state-owned company.
Prosecutors alleged that the funds obtained from these activities were laundered through various companies in which Wadyajena and his associates had interests.
On February 6, 2023, the magistrates’ court refused a further remand, advising the state to proceed via summons. However, ZACC retained possession of the vehicles, claiming they needed 30 days to conduct parallel investigations.
Wadyajena subsequently applied for and received a High Court order for the return of his vehicles. A judgment in his favour was issued in May, but ZACC appealed the decision to the Supreme Court.
In response, Wadyajena filed an urgent High Court application for leave to execute the judgment while awaiting the Supreme Court’s determination.
In his ruling, Justice Tawnda Chitapi agreed with Wadyajena’s legal team that the continued seizure of his trucks was prejudicing him of potential revenue.
The judge said, “trucks are meant to be mobile and not be parked”.
More: Pindula News