Singapore fraudster's assets frozen in Zimbabwe

The High Court of Zimbabwe has granted enforcement of a Singaporean asset-freezing order against two foreign nationals residing in the country, in a ruling seen as a major boost for international asset recovery efforts.

In a judgment delivered on April 9, 2026, Justice Justice Wamambo ruled in favour of Singaporean investor Ser Kang Wei and his British Virgin Islands-registered firm Lucent Trading Limited.

The court approved the registration of a foreign judgment against Singaporean couple Yong Khong Yoong Mark and Emily Hwang Mei Chen, both permanent residents of Zimbabwe with significant local business interests.

At the centre of the case is a Mareva Injunction issued by the High Court of Singapore in July 2025, which restrains the respondents from disposing of assets while litigation is ongoing.

The respondents opposed the enforcement, raising both procedural and substantive objections. They argued that the application was defective due to the exclusion of a third party named in the original Singaporean order, Salas Porras Carlos Luis.

However, Justice Wamambo dismissed the objection, citing provisions of the High Court Rules, 2021, which state that proceedings should not fail due to misjoinder or non-joinder of parties. The judge noted that Salas had no identifiable assets in Zimbabwe, making enforcement against him impractical.

A key issue before the court was whether the Singaporean order was sufficiently "final" to be recognised under Zimbabwean law. The respondents argued that the injunction was merely interim, as it was stated to remain in force "until trial or further order."

The court disagreed, finding that the order had evolved following a contested hearing in December 2025, where the Singaporean court dismissed an application to discharge the injunction and expressly authorised its enforcement in Zimbabwe.

"The answer as to whether or not a judgment or order is final lies not in its form, but in its effect," Justice Wamambo said, concluding that the order was "final and definitive" in respect of the assets concerned.

The ruling effectively places the respondents' Zimbabwe-based assets under the restrictions of the Singaporean injunction while the main dispute continues abroad.

The court also ordered the respondents to pay legal costs.

Separately, Yong has recently drawn attention in Zimbabwe following his arrest over alleged involvement in a mining investment fraud case. He was reportedly apprehended near Norton while travelling in a vehicle with associates, before police conducted a search at his Borrowdale residence in Harare.

Authorities allege that approximately 10 grammes of suspected gold nuggets were recovered during the search. Yong is also facing charges linked to the alleged defrauding of a Chinese businessman of US$1.3 million in a mining deal.

The matter is expected to proceed in court this week, adding another layer to the businessman's growing list of legal challenges.