BEITBRIDGE – Fraud accused Zanu PF MP for Gokwe Nembudziya Justice Mayor Wadyajena’s Lamborghini and another of his flashy rides were Friday seized by authorities at the Beitbridge border post while being “shipped” to South Africa, state media reports.
“Busted: Border authorities have intercepted two state-of-the-art vehicles belonging to troubled lawmaker Justice Mayor Wadyajena on suspicion they were being shipped to South Africa,” read a message in the Herald’s Twitter handle Friday.
It was not clear why the controversial lawmaker was sending his vehicles to South Africa.
Neither was it clear why authorities took the decision to intercept the vehicles.
Wadyajena faces fraud and money laundering charges involving US$5 million allegedly siphoned from Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) under a false deal of importing some material on behalf of the state-owned entity.
The state claims the money was diverted to acquire some 25 trucks for the legislator and his colleagues’ personal aggrandisement.
The businessman was arrested on Monday this week by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission together with four accomplices, two of whom are Cottco bosses.
The group was bailed on Thursday after appearing before a Harare Magistrate.
They were ordered to surrender their passports as part of their bail conditions.
But the attempt to send vehicles across the border has raised questions over the legislator’s motive amid suspicions this could be an attempt to protect his priced rides in the face of the serious charges he faces.
Wadyajena said while arguing for bail on Thursday that ZACC was playing a political game in targeting him for the offence.
