Wadyajena empire on verge of crumbling as police seize posh cars and 22 trucks
HARARE – Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena’s empire is on the verge of crumbling after authorities seized his posh cars and 22 trucks in connection with fraud and money laundering charges involving US$5 million Cottco misappropriated funds.
Wadyajena and four others are currently on bail in a case in which the State alleges that the legislator and his co-accused “created empires or big spheres of influence” using their alleged loot.
The case has now taken a new twist after Harare Magistrate Barbara Mateko ordered the seizure of 24 vehicles among them a fleet of trucks and super cars belonging to the accused.
According to the warrant of search and seizure signed on August 18, the court directed the “Managing Director of Mayor Logistics [Pvt] Ltd and Justice Mayor Wadyajena or any other person in authority or control of the vehicles to release the vehicles to the Peace Officers and other Officers of the Law.”
Two of his luxury were accordingly intercepted and impounded by border authorities at Beitbridge to prevent them being shipped to South Africa.
A red 2020 BMW X6 and 2019 Lamborghini, both high-performance sport utility vehicles, are part of vehicles tagged in a warrant of search and seizure seen by Zim Morning Post.
Sources say Wadyajena was attempting to move his assets to South Africa ahead of the conclusion of his Cottco alleged fraud trial but his attempts were thwarted.
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 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 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.
