The Independent Complaints Commission (ICC) has been drawn into a heated ownership dispute over the Cosmopolitan Restaurant and Bar, amid allegations that the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) are being used as a ‘negotiation tool’ in a bitter 50:50 shareholder battle between the business partners.
The dispute involves business partners Ms Wenjing Cao, also known as Vicky, and Ms Yuxin Zhang, with Cao accusing Zhang of using law enforcement officers to interfere in what she describes as a purely commercial disagreement.
Through her legal representatives, Chimwamurombe Legal Practice, Cao has lodged a formal complaint alleging that officers from Five Avenue Police Station have acted beyond their jurisdiction and mandate, allegedly harassing her at the instigation of Zhang.
In a letter dated 28 March 2026, copied to the Commissioner-General of Police and the Prosecutor-General, Cao’s lawyers claim that police are being used as leverage in negotiations over the dissolution of the business partnership.
”Ms Zhang has sought to compel the police to arrest our client, not for legitimate criminal reasons, but as a tactic to gain leverage in negotiations regarding the dissolution of their business,” the lawyers stated.
”Such conduct constitutes a serious abuse of police powers and undermines the integrity of civil dispute resolution processes.”
The dispute reportedly took a turn for the worse after Vicky successfully obtained a spoliation order from the courts to remain in occupation of the premises.
Sources say the rift began when Ms. Zhang attempted to abruptly halt operations without a formal buyout, citing an alleged breach of contract.
Following the court order, Ms. Zhang reportedly resorted to “frustration tactics,” including forcing patrons at the popular joint to register their personal names and contact details, a move that has sparked outrage among the bar’s clientele.
”It is unfair and intrusive to take personal details at a bar,” one disgruntled patron said.
Vicky further alleges that whenever she attempts to confront her partner over the disruptions, Ms Zhang calls in officers from Avondale Police Station to arrest her.
Conversely, when Vicky attempts to report the disruption of her business to the same authorities, she is reportedly told that the matter is “civil” and should be referred to the courts.
In a dramatic twist, Ms Zhang reportedly three days later, fired back with a counter-petition through her own legal representatives, directing it to the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner-General Stephen Mutamba.
In a letter dated March 31, to the police hierarchy, Yuxing raised concerns over what she described as her partner’s continued defiance of court proceedings and possible collusion with law enforcement officers.
The matter remains pending, with the ICC expected to probe whether the ZRP has been improperly drawn into a private boardroom war.
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