Information and Broadcasting Services permanent secretary Nick Mangwana has defended the release of flamboyant businessman Mayor Wadyajena's assets saying the arresting authorities erred in failing to provide tangible evidence in the case.
High Court Judge Justice Tawanda Chitapi last week ordered the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) to release 25 trucks that were impounded from the former Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator and businessman following his arrest in 2022.
The anti-graft body had confiscated the property alleging they were ill-gotten wealth before the court removed Wadyajena from remand for lack of evidence.
In a heated exchange of words with netizens on microblogging X who claimed that Wadyajena's assets release resembles an animal farm where the rich and powerful enjoy immunity from the state, Mangwana said there is no evidence linking Wadyajena to the alleged fraud case.
He said the problem was not the release of the assets, but rather the 'catch' of Wadyajena.
"Maybe the problem was not with the release but with the catch," posted Mangwana on X.
Responding to another netizen who claimed that powerful politicians were being protected by the state, Mangwana queried evidence in Wadyajena's case.
"What was the evidence against Wadyajena again ?," posted Mangwana.
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Wadyajena was arrested together with former Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) officials, Pius Manamike and Maxmore Njanji. They were, however, all 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 trucks, a Lamborghini (SUV) vehicle and BMW X6 vehicle.
