By Leopold Munhende
FORMER Gokwe legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena has received his impounded luxurious vehicles and 23 haulage trucks from the Zimbabwe Anti Corruption Commission (ZACC).
This follows an order by the High Court to ZACC and the Prosecutor General (PG).
ZACC had delayed release of the vehicles citing ongoing investigations.
“The applicants are granted leave to execute the judgment HH 165/24 granted in case number HCH 4400/23 pending the determination of appeal numbers SC 250/24 and SC 254/24.
“The first and second respondents pay costs of the application jointly and severally the one paying the other to be absolved,” read the High Court judgement.
Wadyajena had, for over a year, been fighting for the release of his assets following a well documented arrest widely believed to have been politically motivated ahead of last year’s general elections.
His case was thrown out after the state failed to find evidence linking the flamboyant businessman to corruption allegations.
ZACC confiscated the property alleging they were ill-gotten wealth before the court removed Wadyajena from remand for lack of evidence.
He was arrested together with former Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) officials, Pius Manamike, Maxmore Njanji, who were released by the court.
They were facing fraud and money laundering charges involving US$5 million.
Through a warrant of search and seizure in terms of Section 49(b) ARWS 50(1)(a) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act [Chapter 9:07], Zacc confiscated some of Wadyajena’s property which included the 23 haulage trucks, a Lamborghini (SUV) vehicle and BMW X6M vehicle.