Businessman Wicknell Chivayo has turned a deeply personal legal victory into a headline-grabbing moment after rewarding his lawyers with luxury vehicles and cash, following a High Court ruling in a custody dispute with his estranged wife, Sonja Madzikanda.
By Advent Shoko
At the heart of the case was access to his two minor children, an issue that has increasingly become central in Zimbabwe’s family law disputes, where courts are often called to balance parental rights with the best interests of the child. In this instance, the High Court ruled in Chivayo’s favour, granting him access after what he described as an unjust separation. Chivayo said:
“DON’T TALK TO ME, TALK TO MY LAWYERS…⚖️ A WISE man once said that in life, ALWAYS ensure that you have a GOOD WIFE, a GOOD BUSINESS, and a GOOD LAWYER.
I became the HAPPIEST man after the HIGH COURT ruled that I must have access to the most PRECIOUS people in my life… The Court challenge was METICULOUSLY prosecuted… the sleepless nights, WELL CRAFTED heads of argument, forensic legal reasoning and ASTUTE STRATEGY paid off.”
The ruling comes amid a broader and still-unfolding dispute, with Madzikanda demanding a US$25 million lump sum settlement and US$45,000 in monthly upkeep, figures that underline the high financial stakes often tied to high-profile family law battles.
For Chivayo, however, the immediate focus was personal. Revealing he has since spent time with his children in Mauritius, Chivayo said:
“For me, nothing in this world compares to the fulfilment of being a PRESENT FATHER.”
What followed has sparked as much debate as the ruling itself.
“To my learned friend SIKHUMBUZO MPOFU, and to the distinguished counsel, ADVOCATE EDLEY MUBAIWA… please go and see VICTOR at Exquisite Motors TODAY and each collect your brand spanking new 2026 RANGE ROVER SPORT AUTOBIOGRAPHY… In addition, you will each receive US$50,000… as a small token of appreciation.”
While the gifts are framed as appreciation, separate from legal fees already paid, the scale of the reward has triggered discussion within legal and governance circles. In Zimbabwe’s legal profession, where ethical standards emphasise independence and professional boundaries, such gestures, though not illegal, sit in a grey zone of public perception.
They raise a difficult question: where does gratitude end, and influence begin?
For now, the High Court ruling stands as a reaffirmation of parental access rights within Zimbabwe’s legal framework. But the optics surrounding the aftermath are likely to linger.
Because in a system where justice must not only be done but be seen to be done, even a private custody victory can quickly evolve into a national conversation about law, power, and perception.
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