HARARE – Former Cottco marketing manager Maxmore Njanji and four others who facing allegation of fraud, have been removed from remand after the State failed to produce sufficient evidence linking them to the offense, more than six months after they were first arrested on accusations that they had committed the crime.
Njanji is jointly charged with Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena, along with Cottco CEO Pious Manamike, Cottco official, Fortunate Molai, Pierpont Moncroix Zimbabwe (Pvt) Limited and Mayor Logistics (Pvt) Limited.
They were were accused of embezzling funds meant for acquiring bale cables and bought trucks are off the hook after the court granted their application for refusal of further remand.
Harare Regional Magistrate Mr Taurai Manwere on Monday upheld an application of refusal of further remand and ruled that there was unnecessary delay in completing investigations by the State.
“The State had mentioned that they needed a month to complete investigations and they should have completed them in August and September last year but to this day there is no progress,” he ruled.
“The State mentioned that they had no fear of abscondment if the accused were released from remand and that they were not yet ready for trial. They are still to engage the republics of the Netherlands, the USA and Mauritius.
“Refusal of further remand is hereby granted and the accused are going to proceed by way of summons.”
Wadyajena and his co-accused allegedly created a local firm identical to a Mauritius-based company which they allegedly used to get orders for Carbon Bale Ties, which were to be used by Cottco.
Court papers state that Cottco never received the bales as per the claimed agreement with the accused persons allegedly diverting the money for personal benefit.
Some of the money was reportedly used to import 25 trucks from a USA company called Giant Equipment in 2019 and 2020.
The trucks were seized as part of police investigations.
Two posh cars belonging to Wadyajena were also intercepted and seized at Beitbridge border post, amid claims they were being taken to South Africa to prevent authorities from seizing them as part of the investigations.
