Wadyajena & co-accused
GOKWE-Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena and four others were on Thursday released on bail after the regional magistrate ruled that the state had failed to place before the court compelling reasons which warrants continued detention.
Wadyajena is co-accused along with suspended Cottco Chief Executive Officer Pious Manamike, suspended Cottco marketing manager Maxmore Njanji, Fortunate Molai also of Cottco, and Chiedza Danha, 39, who is being charged in her personal capacity for her involvement in the alleged fraud and money laundering charges that are said to have defrauded Cottco of US$5 million.
The State alleges that the accused “created empires or big spheres of influence” using their alleged loot, and let free on bail they had the capacity to interfere with state witnesses.
However, the regional magistrate Mr Stanford Mambanje said the State, through a Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission investigating officer Arthur Murambiza, failed to place before the court a compelling reason that warrants continued detention of Wadyajena, the Cottco bosses and Danha.
The accused were granted Z$200,000 bail each and ordered to surrender the title deeds to their properties as surety.
The five were also ordered to surrender their passports and report once every Friday to the police as part of their bail conditions.
If they breach their bail conditions or do not turn up in court when called, they will lose their bail money and their properties will be seized.
“The investigating officer failed to give evidence that they were likely to commit other offences as alleged. It would appear that the reason for opposing bail on fears that they will commit other offences was later abandoned after cross-examination by the defence,” Mambanje said in his ruling.
“The court noted that they have no previous convictions save for accused 1 and 2 (Manamike and Njanji) who have pending cases,” he added.
“…The 4th accused (Wadyajena) is a Member of Parliament who takes pride in his constituents so he would not abandon them,” said Mr Mambanje.
“The risk of interference must be well founded and not based on assumptions. There is a serious allegation made by witness (Mr Murambiza) that they held secret meetings. He left room for speculation and did not specify where and when the meetings were held. We were not told about what was discussed in those meetings,” Mr Mambanje said.
Mambanje said Wadyajena was called while chairing a Parliamentary Portfolio Committee meeting and later surrendered himself to ZACC offices after Parliament business. His conduct was not consistent with a person who is a flight risk.
He said the State’s fears that they might find refuge in other countries would be cured by ordering them to surrender their travel documents.
The five are expected back in court on September 8.
The accused are alleged to have converted money which was meant for the importation of bale ties and bought 25 trucks through Mayor Logistics, where Wadyajena is believed to be a director, and allegedly diverted a second order for ties to energy companies.
