By Staff Reporter
HARARE — The former mother-in-law of businessman Wicknell Chivayo, Tabitha Madzikanda, and a senior manager at FBC Bank have been arrested over allegations of fraud and cyber-related offences involving more than US$1.4 million.
Madzikanda was picked up by detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department’s Law and Order section on Monday morning and is currently being held at Harare Central Police Station.
According to allegations contained in documents seen by this publication, Madzikanda is accused of conspiring with other bank officials to unlawfully remove Chivayo as a signatory to an investment account belonging to his two children.
Investigators allege the group then attempted to transfer more than US$1.4 million from the account without Chivayo’s knowledge or approval.
The disputed funds are understood to form part of a US$2.8 million balance that Chivayo was recently ordered to deposit under a US$5 million divorce settlement agreement involving his former wife, Sonja Madzikanda.
Under the arrangement, the funds were to be deposited into an account controlled by Sonja Madzikanda, with Chivayo retaining oversight over the account’s operations.
Sources close to the investigations said the businessman later filed a complaint after allegedly discovering changes to the account’s signatory structure.
Madzikanda is also facing allegations linked to cybercrime investigations involving artificial intelligence-generated images purportedly showing Chivayo with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Investigators allege preliminary findings traced the origin of the manipulated images to a mobile device linked to Madzikanda.
“Preliminary investigations indicate the images may have been generated from her phone.
“Authorities believe the material was intended to create the impression that there had been an unsanctioned meeting involving the businessman and the South African president,” a source familiar with the matter said.
Madzikanda’s daughter, Sonja, is already in police custody in connection with the matter.
The two are expected to appear in court on Tuesday.
