BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE ZANU PF Member of Parliament for Gokwe-Nembudziya constituency, Justice Mayor Wadyajena, who is being accused of fraud and money-laundering involving US$5,8 million, appeared in court yesterday and was remanded in custody to today for bail application.
Wadyajena, who is being charged together with his company Mayor Logistics, appeared together with Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) officials, managing director Pious Manamike, marketing and business development manager Maxmore Njanji, Fortunate Molai and Chiedza Danha, the director for Pierpont Moncroix Mauritius, which was reportedly used as a conduit to defraud Cottco.
#BREAKING 🔴Wadyajena arrested on US$5 million fraud and money laundering. pic.twitter.com/MWrT2RmDQO
— NewsDay Zimbabwe (@NewsDayZimbabwe) August 16, 2022
The four co-accused were also remanded in custody for bail applications today by Harare magistrate Stanford Mambanje.
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Allegations are that sometime in 2019, the accused persons hatched a plan to defraud Cottco of millions of United States dollars through fictitious purchase of goods purportedly for use by the company.
The State case is weaved around a complex web of financial transactions involving the accused.
#LATEST 🔴Gokwe-Nembudziya MP (@ZANUPF_Official) @JusticeMayorW remanded in custody to Thursday for continuation of bail hearing. Wadyajena has been charged with corruption involving US$5 million alongside 4 others and 2 companies pic.twitter.com/SLgFVaLTZW
— NewsDay Zimbabwe (@NewsDayZimbabwe) August 17, 2022
Among the questionable financial deals was the purchase and supply of 3,2 million special high carbon bale ties worth US$3,2 million for the 2019 ginning season.
The bale ties apparently never landed in the country despite having been fully paid for.
Investigations then established that instead, 25 Freightliner truck horses worth US$1,5 million were imported by Wadyajena’s Mayor Logistics (Pvt] Ltd company.