Wicknell Chivayo Reportedly Died Before Settling US$1.1 Million Balance On Augustine Chihuri Mansion
Late businessman Wicknell Chivayo had reportedly not completed payment for a multimillion-dollar mansion he bought from former police commissioner Augustine Chihuri before his death.
According to The NewsHawks, Chivayo paid US$1.4 million towards the property in May 2024, leaving an alleged US$1.1 million balance on the mansion, which was valued at US$2.5 million at the time.
Chivayo’s Outstanding Balance
A source familiar with the transaction revealed that the outstanding amount was not expected to be settled entirely in cash.
Instead, the US$1.1 million balance was reportedly linked to services Chivayo was expected to provide to Chihuri, with sources describing them as “political services”.
The arrangement has reportedly created uncertainty over the final settlement of the transaction following Chivayo’s death in a helicopter crash near Marondera last week.
“The fact and truth of the matter is that Chivayo had not fully paid for the property at the time of his tragic death last week,” the source said.
The source added that determining the monetary value of the services was difficult because they had not been clearly quantified.
Mansion Valuation Raises Questions
The property transaction also reportedly involved a significant difference between the sale price and the value placed on the mansion by the state.
Questions have been raised over the mansion’s valuation, which was reportedly placed at about US$7 million by authorities despite the property being sold for US$2.5 million.
The US$4.5 million gap could further complicate the transaction and the property’s status following Chivayo’s death.