Zanu-PF legislator and others arrested in connection with $5m fraud, money laundering
Politician is charged alongside four top executives of state-owned cotton producing company
Image: 123RF/scanrail
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested Zanu-PF legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena.
Wadyajena was arrested in connection with a $5m (R84m) fraud charge together with four officials from Zimbabwe’s largest cotton producing company, Cotton Company (Cottco).
The ZACC announced the arrest in a brief statement earlier this week.
“The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission has arrested Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Justice Mayor Wadyajena, Cottco officials Pius Manamike, Maxmore Njanji and Fortunate Molai, and Pierpont Moncroix director Chiedza Danha on fraud and money laundering charges involving $5m,” the ZACC said.
The government-owned cotton dealer, Cottco, has been struggling financially and failing to pay cotton farmers.
Recently the ZACC and police launched an investigation involving cotton farming inputs that were stocked at a warehouse in Gokwe allegedly linked to Wadyajena. Police raided the warehouse and confiscated a large quantity of cotton farming inputs.
Wadyajena and the other accused appeared in court on Wednesday and were remanded in custody to Thursday for continuation of bail hearing.
The Zanu-PF legislator also chairs parliament’s portfolio committee on land and agriculture.
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