Wicknell Chivayo’s Ex-Wife And Former Mother-In-Law Arrested Over Ramaphosa Video Claims
Businessman Wicknell Chivayo’s ex-wife, Sonja Madzikanda, and her mother, Tabitha Madzikanda, have been arrested following allegations linked to an alleged “compromising” video involving South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, fraud accusations and claims of cyber-related offences.
According to ZimLive, Sonja spent Monday night in police custody while Tabitha was arrested on Tuesday. The pair are expected to appear in court on Wednesday, 20 May 2026.
Lawyer Rungano Mahuni confirmed the arrests but said the exact charges were still unclear.
“The charges are not yet clear, but the police have mentioned unauthorised distribution of content and undermining the authority of the president. We hope to get the precise charges soon,” Mahuni said.
Fraud And Trust Account Allegations
Police sources quoted by ZimLive alleged that Tabitha Madzikanda, who works as an executive at FBC Bank, is also facing fraud accusations connected to an alleged attempt to withdraw US$1.4 million (approximately R25.2 million) from a children’s trust account linked to Chivayo’s children.
The funds were allegedly intended for the purchase of land and the construction of cluster houses.
A police source reportedly claimed:
“The complaint is that she tried to withdraw these funds by attempting to remove Chivayo as a signatory.”
The latest developments come months after Sonja Madzikanda filed for divorce from Chivayo. The two have also reportedly been involved in disputes over access to their children.
According to the report, Chivayo told police that Sonja had violated a High Court order governing access to the children, opening the possibility of contempt of court proceedings.
Ramaphosa Video At Centre Of Storm
The arrests have also drawn attention due to claims that a video allegedly shows Chivayo meeting President Ramaphosa before the South African leader’s recent official trip to Zimbabwe earlier this month.
An image allegedly taken from the video circulated online on Monday. Chivayo reportedly told police that the image had been manipulated using artificial intelligence to falsely suggest an earlier meeting with Ramaphosa.
The claims have become politically sensitive because Ramaphosa’s spokesman, Vincent Magwenya, previously stated that Chivayo was unknown to the South African president before their public interaction during the Zimbabwe visit.
Police have reportedly seized Tabitha Madzikanda’s phone as part of investigations into the alleged digital manipulation claims.
In another twist, Sonja Madzikanda denied allegations that she stole a device containing the alleged footage.
Speaking from Highlands Police Station in Harare in a video circulated online, she said:
“This is a man who is heavily guarded as you are all aware. He has so many security guards around him and somehow I managed to get access to one of his devices and get a video of him with a president that’s very compromising.”
She also alleged:
“I’m being arrested because he was sending around videos of him with heads of states threatening people.”
Chivayo had not publicly commented on the arrests by Tuesday afternoon.
The post Wicknell Chivayo’s Ex-Wife And Mother-In-Law Arrested In Explosive Ramaphosa Video Saga appeared first on iHarare News.
