BUSINESSMAN Wicknell Chivayo has claimed that prolonged corruption investigations have severely damaged his reputation, leading international banks to red-flag him and causing significant loss of business opportunities.
In an exclusive interview, Chivayo said investigations linked to the controversial R1,1 billion (about US$65,6 million) procurement of voting materials from South Africa’s Ren Form CC had inflicted what he described as irreparable reputational harm.
“Frankly speaking, any reputational damage is almost irreparable,” Chivayo said.
“The prolonged investigations, based on fabricated allegations, caused severe and irreparable damage to my business interests and personal reputation over the past two years.
“My business integrity was scandalised, leading certain local and international financial institutions to red-flag me as a potential risk, which resulted in substantial loss of business opportunities.”
His remarks come after Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) chairperson Michael Reza last week said the anti-graft body had failed to establish a link between Chivayo and the scandal, and was therefore closing its probe. Reza cited the absence of contractual evidence tying Chivayo to the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (Zec)’s deal with Ren Form CC.
However, sources close to the investigation told the Independent that while Zacc may have closed its inquiry, “the matter is still very much alive in South Africa”.
Chivayo, who was convicted of fraud in 2004, said he had not received any formal communication from Zacc confirming that he had been cleared.
“Apart from the Zacc chairman’s televised interview, I have not yet received formal communication from Zacc on this subject matter,” he said.
“My focus has been on cooperating with the constitutional authorities in Zimbabwe. I have, however, through my lawyers, requested the Commission to communicate their official findings from their investigation.”
He also said he could not confirm whether South Africa’s Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation — the Hawks — had concluded its parallel probe.
Zacc chairperson Reza did not respond to questions on whether Chivayo or South African authorities had been formally notified of the commission’s decision to close its case.
At the time of publication, Hawks spokesperson Colonel Katlego Mogale had not responded to follow-up enquiries. Previously, the Hawks had confirmed they were investigating allegations of money laundering involving multi-million-dollar payments from Ren Form to companies allegedly linked to Chivayo.
In May, Hawks national spokesperson Brigadier Thandi Mbambo said the investigations were being given “top priority”.
Sources in Pretoria said findings by South Africa’s Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC) had also been shared with the United States Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The same sources claimed Zacc had not formally communicated to South African authorities that Chivayo had been cleared.
“Our probe, based on payments transferred by Zimbabwe’s Treasury to Ren Form CC and subsequently channelled to firms linked to Chivayo, is still alive,” one source close to the investigation said. “Investigations of this nature take long to conclude.”
The controversy emerged after Zimbabwe’s Treasury paid Ren Form CC, which Zec had handpicked without a public tender, to supply election materials. FIC later flagged payments that Ren Form allegedly wired to companies linked to Chivayo, triggering money-laundering investigations in both Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Companies reportedly linked to Chivayo that received payments include Intratek Holdings, Dolintel Trading Enterprise, Edenbreeze, Asibambane Platinum Group and Agile Venture Capital.
FIC findings also indicated that Ren Form CC had significantly inflated its invoices to Zec.
Ren Form CC had not responded to questions by the time of publication.
Source – The Independent
