Former Norton legislator Temba Mliswa has condemned the arrest of Sonja Madzikanda and her mother Tabitha Madzikanda, arguing that the dispute involving controversial businessman Wicknell Chivayo should not have escalated into a criminal case.
The two women appeared before Harare magistrate Nyaradzo Manokore facing allegations linked to cyber law violations and the alleged unauthorised distribution of digital content.
Their lawyer, Rungano Mahuni, told the court that both clients deny the charges and should be granted bail. The magistrate postponed the matter to Thursday for a bail ruling.
The arrests stem from widening investigations involving leaked images and videos allegedly linked to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, alongside an escalating family and custody dispute between Chivayo and his former wife.
Authorities are also investigating separate allegations that Tabitha Madzikanda, an executive at FBC Bank, attempted to withdraw approximately US$1.4 million from a trust account established for Chivayo’s children by allegedly trying to remove him as a signatory.
Separately, Sonja Madzikanda faces accusations of breaching a High Court order governing access to the former couple’s two children.
Reacting to the developments on X, Mliswa said the matter had exposed what he described as deep corruption and political influence within the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
“This is a purely civil matter which did not warrant the police making a whole criminal issue about,” Mliswa wrote.
The outspoken politician specifically targeted Zimbabewe Republic Police (ZRP) Commissioner General Stephen Mutamba, accusing him of commercialising law enforcement and degrading the professionalism of the police force.
Mliswa alleged that he himself had previously been arrested after police were allegedly influenced by external financial interests linked to Chinese business figures.
According to Mliswa, officers involved in his arrest later admitted they had merely acted on instructions, adding that he was ultimately acquitted in court.
He argued that the Madzikanda case highlighted broader concerns about selective law enforcement and the influence of money within policing institutions.
“The expectation of monetary remuneration to enforce the law creates a perilous environment for those lacking financial means,” Mliswa said.
The former MP further claimed the police system had become heavily compromised by corruption and warned that continued abuse of authority could eventually provoke wider backlash.
In some of his most controversial remarks, Mliswa accused senior figures within the police force of using ethnic loyalties and political connections as protection against accountability.
“His seeming assumption that being Karanga provides immunity from scrutiny is dangerous and mistaken,” Mliswa wrote, while also warning that “the bubble will one day burst.”
The allegations and arrests continue to fuel intense political and public debate in both Zimbabwe and South Africa because of the controversy surrounding leaked material allegedly linked to Ramaphosa and Chivayo’s political connections.
At the time of publication, neither Chivayo nor police authorities had publicly responded to Mliswa’s latest comments.
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