News / National
Wadyajena, Cottco bosses ruling date set
06 Oct 2022 at 05:59hrs | Views
The ruling on Gokwe-Nembudziya legislator Mayor Justice Wadyajena's application challenging his placement on remand on charges of fraud and money laundering involving funds allegedly misappropriated at Cotton Company of Zimbabwe (Cottco) will be given by Harare regional magistrate Mr Taurai Manwere on October 21.
Wadyajena and his company Mayor Logistics, through their lawyer Mr Oliver Marwa, mounted an application challenging their placement on remand saying there was no connection between them and the alleged offences and no link between them and their co-accused, who happens to be bosses at Cottco,
They are jointly charged with suspended Cottco bosses Pius Manamike, Maxmore Njanji, Fortunate Molai, Chiedza Danha and her company, Pierpoint Moncroix.
They allegedly used US$5 834 000 meant for importing bale ties to import trucks, buy fuel and make an assortment of other payments that had nothing to do with the ties.
Yesterday Wadyajena and his company were back in court where they motivated, that is replied to the State arguments, their application after the State filed its response. They continued to stress that there was no link between them and offence and their co-accused.
Mr Marwa said the State remained silent on other issues that the defence raised which pointed out that it was in agreement with issues they had raised.
"The State has not quarrelled with points raised in paragraphs 28 to 33 of our application. We therefore find that those paragraphs to be proved as admitted in application," he said.
Mr Marwa told the court that Wadyajena and his company did not concede their placement on remand when they initially appeared in court. He said they showed their protest to their placement on remand when they notified the State of their intentions to contest this formally.
"If there is no link between accused and offence, the consequence is they are non-suited and cannot spend a minute longer on remand," he said.
Danha and her company, Pierpoint Moncroix, who are represented by lawyer Mr Harrison Nkomo, also motivated their application for refusal of further remand.
Mr Nkomo said it was unclear how Danha had direct control of Pierpoint Moncroix in State papers.
He said Danha and her company did not launder any proceeds of any crime, nor benefited from the truck imports as alleged, which warrant them to be placed on remand. They are also expected back in court on October 21, for ruling on their applications.
Wadyajena and his company Mayor Logistics, through their lawyer Mr Oliver Marwa, mounted an application challenging their placement on remand saying there was no connection between them and the alleged offences and no link between them and their co-accused, who happens to be bosses at Cottco,
They are jointly charged with suspended Cottco bosses Pius Manamike, Maxmore Njanji, Fortunate Molai, Chiedza Danha and her company, Pierpoint Moncroix.
They allegedly used US$5 834 000 meant for importing bale ties to import trucks, buy fuel and make an assortment of other payments that had nothing to do with the ties.
Yesterday Wadyajena and his company were back in court where they motivated, that is replied to the State arguments, their application after the State filed its response. They continued to stress that there was no link between them and offence and their co-accused.
Mr Marwa said the State remained silent on other issues that the defence raised which pointed out that it was in agreement with issues they had raised.
Mr Marwa told the court that Wadyajena and his company did not concede their placement on remand when they initially appeared in court. He said they showed their protest to their placement on remand when they notified the State of their intentions to contest this formally.
"If there is no link between accused and offence, the consequence is they are non-suited and cannot spend a minute longer on remand," he said.
Danha and her company, Pierpoint Moncroix, who are represented by lawyer Mr Harrison Nkomo, also motivated their application for refusal of further remand.
Mr Nkomo said it was unclear how Danha had direct control of Pierpoint Moncroix in State papers.
He said Danha and her company did not launder any proceeds of any crime, nor benefited from the truck imports as alleged, which warrant them to be placed on remand. They are also expected back in court on October 21, for ruling on their applications.
Source - The Herald
