Mnangagwa’s men accuse Chivhayo of fraud
LAUNDERING: Wicknell Chivhayo and two unidentified men in a picture leaked to Observer
By Mpedzegwa Wamanava
JOHANNESBURG: In a dramatic turn of events, close associates of President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Moses Mpofu and Mike Chimombe, have accused Wicknell Chivhayo and the South African firm Ren-Form CC of money laundering in a deal involving election paraphernalia in Zimbabwe.
The original agreement, which involved Ren-Form CC of South Africa and Better Brands, owned by Pedzisayi Scott Sakupwanya, was established to provide the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) with biometric voter registration kits and other election-related materials for the previous year’s general elections.
A letter of demand, which emerged today and is dated April 24, 2024, addressed to Mr. Angus Carlaw, reveals that the contract was unilaterally modified to benefit Chivayo’s enterprise, Intratek, following discussions with ZEC chairperson, the Honorable Priscilla Chigumba.
Moses Mpofu, one of the disenchanted individuals, expressed, “We embarked on this partnership believing in its integrity, only to find ourselves excluded from a plot saturated with corruption and avarice.”
The document contends that Ren-Form cc colluded with Chivayo to reroute agreed-upon commissions into the coffers of Intratek, thereby nullifying the initial pact without any mutual agreement. The businessmen assert possession of evidence of transactions from the Zimbabwe Government Treasury and accuse Ren-Form cc of grossly inflating quotes by nearly 235%, escalating from an initial figure of US$2,673,360.00 to a staggering US$8,964,603.80
“Our contract was explicit, and this misdirection of funds breaches not only our confidence but also contravenes laws of South Africa and those recognized internationally,” declared Mike Chimombe.
The accusers maintain that a substantial portion, exceeding 66%, of the funds disbursed to Ren-Form cc was subsequently transferred to Intratek’s accounts, an act they claim constitutes money laundering and aids individuals listed on the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list.
“We have irrefutable evidence that these inflated sums are being channeled into private accounts,” added Mpofu.
Moreover, the letter accuses Chivayo of deceiving Ren-Form cc with assertions of disbursing payments to high-ranking Zimbabwean government officials, a statement they vehemently refute as baseless. The businessmen are demanding a 25% share of all funds allocated to Chivayo and are calling for Ren-Form cc to cease all further payments until an agreement is reached.
“This matter transcends mere financial restitution; it is a question of upholding integrity and adherence to legal principles,” emphasized Chimombe.
The businessmen have issued a seven-day deadline to Ren-Form cc to propose a feasible resolution or else brace for legal proceedings and the possibility of being reported to the appropriate authorities and media entities.
“Our preference is to settle this matter amicably; however, we stand ready to pursue justice at the highest levels if required,” Mpofu concluded.
As of now, Ren-form cc has not issued a response to these claims. This incident underscores the persistent issues of corruption and unethical practices in the procurement processes, especially concerning election equipment, a vital component for maintaining democratic integrity.
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