Chivayo's $250,000 car gift raises fraud questions

A US$250,000 luxury vehicle announced as a gift by the late businessman Wicknell Chivayo to lawyer Lewis Uriri may have been imported using documents processed in the lawyer's name without his knowledge, raising questions about the legality of the transaction.

Documents seen by ZimLive reportedly show that the vehicle was purchased from Johannesburg-based dealer Verve Auto Sports for R2,882,782 and cleared by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) in Uriri's name using an uncertified copy of his passport.

The documents indicate that ZIMRA collected US$74,460.57 in import duty before the vehicle was delivered to Exquisite Motors in Harare.

Chivayo announced on X on September 21 that he was gifting the vehicle to Uriri in recognition of legal services rendered over the years. The announcement came nine days before Chivayo died in a helicopter crash near Marondera.

Uriri rejected both the vehicle and a separate US$50,000 cash gift described as being for fuel, saying the offer had come as a surprise without prior notice or discussion.

The lawyer, who is part of a legal team representing activists challenging constitutional amendments extending President Emmerson Mnangagwa's term, said relations between him and Chivayo had been strained for years.

Uriri said he considered it necessary to decline benefits that could create a perception of personal financial obligation beyond a concluded and fully paid professional engagement.

The customs documents have raised further questions because the passport copy reportedly used in the transaction had been cancelled in 2024 after running out of pages. Uriri subsequently obtained a replacement passport.

Advocate Thabani Mpofu, who examined the documents, said the transaction may have breached the law, arguing that Chivayo should have imported the vehicle in his own name before legally donating it to Uriri.

Mpofu alleged that presenting Uriri as the importer could amount to fraud and questioned the conduct of officials who approved the clearance. He argued that the vehicle should be forfeited to the State, although no court finding establishing fraud or unlawful conduct was cited in the report.

ZIMRA spokesperson Gladman Njani declined to comment on the specific transaction, citing confidentiality provisions under the Revenue Authority Act and the Customs and Excise Act.

Njani said the authority remained committed to administering customs requirements lawfully and consistently while protecting confidential taxpayer information.

Exquisite Motors owner Victor Vikela said his company had only stored the vehicle at Chivayo's request and had no involvement in its acquisition or importation.

Vikela confirmed that the vehicle had since been moved from the showroom but declined to disclose its whereabouts.

Chivayo later offered the same vehicle to another lawyer, Advocate Silvester Hashiti, alongside a reported US$500,000 cash gift. However, Chivayo died before Hashiti could collect it, and Exquisite Motors reportedly referred him to the executor of Chivayo's estate.

Uriri declined to comment further on the latest revelations, saying: "You guys must just let Wicknell rest in peace."