Mary Chiwenga, estranged wife of Vice President Costantino Chiwenga, has been accused of money laundering and sending U.S.$1 million to South Africa and China in 2018 and 2019.
The ex-model is said to have caused CBZ Bank to transfer funds on different occasions to a bank account in South Africa’s FNB Bank.
She would later divert the money for other personal use.
During the period extending from October 2018 to May 2019, the wife of the VP would instruct one Memory Chakuinga to raise proforma invoices for the purchases of either event tents and chairs or prepaid household electrical meters.
Chakuinga is managing director with two South African based companies namely Falcon Projects (Pvt) Ltd and Bonnette Electrical (Pvt) Ltd, both based in Pretoria.
The invoices would then be referred to CBZ Bank on the pretext that Mubaiwa wanted to purchase the event tents, chairs and prepaid metres for consumption in Zimbabwe, when in actual fact she knew very well that after the funds were transferred to South Africa, she would then divert them for other personal purposes.
Investigations by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) have revealed that on 8 October 2018, Marry sent her driver Carrington Kazingizi and Terrence Mutandwa to China with United States Dollars in cash amounting to US$114 000.
The money exited Zimbabwe through Robert Mugabe International Airport without any declaration being made to the authorities, which is in contravention of the Exchange Control Act.
Sometime in November 2018, Marry instructed Chakuinga to come up with a proforma invoice for the supply of event tents and chairs which were then sent to CBZ Bank.
She is said to have caused CBZ Bank to transfer US$201 846-81 through Outgoing Telegraphic Transfer into Falcon Projects Suppliers Private Limited South African FNB Bank account number 62576755105.
Instead of the funds being used for the purchase of event tents and chairs, Marry instructed Chakuinga to divert the funds to Range Rover Centre Menyln towards the purchase of her personal Range Rover.
Sometime in February 2019, she allegedly instructed Chakuinga again to raise another proforma invoice for the supply of prepaid household electric metres and CBZ Bank transferred US$307 545-05 through Outgoing Telegraphic Transfer into Falcon Projects Suppliers Private Limited South African FNB Bank account number 62576755105.
Thereafter, instead of purchasing the prepaid meters, she instructed Chakuinga to divert the funds for the purchase of a house, being number 1309 Kingstone Heath Close, Waterkloof Golf Estate, Pretoria, South Africa.
The house was registered in the name of LaChelle Travel and Tours Pty Ltd South Africa where Marry is the sole Shareholder.
SOURCE: NEW ZIMBABWE
