Zimbabwe MP faces R95m fraud charge, 2 luxury cars impounded

• About R95 million in American dollars said to have been diverted from the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe.
• A legislator's two supercars and 22 haulage trucks were impounded by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission.
• The commission has been accused of being used as an instrument to settle political scores.

One of Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa's youthful legislators faces a charge of fraud involving about R95 million and it is not looking pretty.

If Zanu-PF's Justice Mayor Wadyajena, who is an MP for Gokwe-Nembudziya in the Midlands is convicted and stripped of his luxury cars and 22 haulage trucks, he will be the most high-profile casualty of the corruption fight since the November 2017 coup that dislodged late president Robert Mugabe.

Wadyajena is accused of being part of an elaborate con that swindled the Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco).

The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) arrested Wadyajena, Cottco managing director Pious Manamike, Maxmore Njanji, Fortunate Molai, and Chiedza Danha, the director of Pierpont Moncroix Mauritius, which was reportedly used as a conduit to defraud Cottco.

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They were released on ZWL$100 000 (R1 800) bail each.

On Friday, the ZACC impounded Wadyajena's two luxury cars, a R6.6 million Lamborghini Urus and a BMW X6, which were on their way to South Africa.

It also issued a directive to impound 22 haulage trucks that were allegedly bought using the proceeds of the alleged crime, believed to have been committed sometime in 2009. 

"There are reasonable grounds for believing that the managing director of Mayor Logistics [Pvt] Ltd and Justice Mayor Wadyajena are in possession or in control of the following vehicles, which are required as exhibits in the criminal docket and that is necessary for the purpose of investigating or detecting a case of fraud," read the instruction from ZACC.

Futile corruption fight

The ZACC has in the past been accused of settling political scores.

Wadjyajena's lawyers also used the same line, calling it "an evil political agenda".

When Mnangagwa came to power, he vowed to fight corruption by naming and shaming those accused of taking money out of the country.

However, his list was somewhat underwhelming, and he was accused of covering for his political allies.

Last week, addressing government-related corruption raised by the secretary in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, George Guvamatanga, Mnangagwa said, "if he said it in China, we'll be having candidates for execution".

A leading political commentator in Zimbabwe, Rejoice Ngwenya, said Wadjyajena's arrest was not enough in a country where corruption was a huge business.

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"We see it but it's not like they didn't know about such issues. The question then is why now? The ZACC is sitting on more than 300 cases, and nothing is happening, they just pull a file when things become political," he added.

Last week, Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) boss Henrietta Rushwaya was cleared of wrongdoing in a case where she was accused of offering a US$5 000 bribe to an airport official in a bid to smuggle gold worth R5.5 million.

With no major corruption convictions, the judiciary in Zimbabwe as well as the ZACC have earned the moniker the "catch and release" brigade.

It is worse for ZACC with some of its commissioners accused of corruption.

In April, Mnangagwa fired commissioner Frank Muchengwa for "gross misconduct".

Who is Wadyajena?

At age 41, he is one of the youngest MPs and according to political sources, he was widely seen as Mnangagwa's blue-eyed boy.

Independent legislator Temba Mliswa said Wadjyajena had fallen from grace.

"He has no respect among his colleagues anymore and unfortunately, the blue-eyed boy for 'vakuru'' [the presidium] in this Parliament has fallen," he added.

Many in Harare's affluent circles refer to Wadyajena as a petrol head. 

In May this year, the Borrowdale Brooke Homeowners Association deactivated his vehicle tags and relegated him to the visitors' lane to enter and exit the plush residential area after he allegedly drove one of his supercars with a roaring engine and loud music at midnight, disturbing the .

The Borrowdale Brooke gated community is the brainchild of former Professional Golfers' Association champion Nick Price. 

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It is home to some of the wealthiest and most powerful citizens. Vice President Constantino Chiwenga also has a mansion there.

Wadjyajena's rights were restored after taking the matter to court.

Whenever allegations of corruption are raised against him, he claims he made his first million in American dollars when he was in his twenties.

The legislator has had close dealings with some of the country's most controversial and rich citizens, including presidential advisors such as Kuda Tagwirei.

The American-sanctioned Tagwirei and Wadjyajena had a fallout in 2019. 

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