A Zimbabwean financier has made explosive claims from a South African prison cell, alleging the country’s presidential family is orchestrating his three-year detention without trial. Frank Buyanga, 43, states his ordeal stems from a romantic entanglement with a woman linked to a son of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.
His legal team has presented these allegations to the Madlanga Commission of Inquiry in South Africa, arguing that powerful political forces in Zimbabwe have corrupted the judicial process to keep him behind bars.
“Pulled Strings” For Continued Detention
According to IOL, Buyanga’s lawyers assert that the charges against their client are a smokescreen for a personal vendetta. They claim the dispute originates from a child custody battle that turned political. According to the legal team, the mother of Buyanga’s child is in a relationship with one of the president’s sons, and this connection has been weaponised against him.
The legal representatives allege direct interference from the highest levels of Zimbabwean government. They told the Commission that the president and his family have “pulled strings” to ensure his continued incarceration without bail. His lead attorney stated:
“The charges in Zimbabwe are a pretext. The real issue is that our client is being punished for his past involvement with a woman now connected to the First Family. This personal dispute has been elevated to a state matter, with Zimbabwean authorities allegedly pressuring South Africa to deny bail and progress his extradition.”
A Web Of Legal Challenges And Alleged Corruption
Buyanga was initially charged in South Africa on 28 November 2022 with fraud and contravention of the Immigration Act. Bail was denied at the time due to an existing warrant for his arrest in Zimbabwe related to the custody dispute. That dispute escalated in 2020 when Buyanga allegedly took the child to South Africa without the mother’s consent.
The case has been marred by further complications, including the arrest of a South African police constable for alleged fraud and document mishandling linked to Buyanga’s file. Buyanga’s submissions also accuse Zimbabwe’s former Prosecutor General, Kumbirai Hodzi, of misleading South African authorities. He claims Hodzi failed to disclose that Zimbabwe’s Supreme Court did not dismiss his custody appeal on merit, but only declined jurisdiction.
Buyanga asserts this was a deliberate omission to justify his detention. He is quoted in filings as saying:
“I am being persecuted for taking the woman of the president’s son. This is not about law; it is about power and personal revenge.”
Human rights groups have raised the alarm over Buyanga’s prolonged detention. They label it a potential case of arbitrary detention, a violation of both South African and international law. Concerns over his treatment intensified after he reportedly contracted pneumonia in custody, with his lawyers warning his health is at risk.
Calls For Urgent Intervention
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in South Africa has acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations. According to The Star, the NPA stated:
“We will look into the matter with urgency. We believe in the rights of prisoners and that accused persons receive a fair trial. When we have all the details at our disposal we will certainly revert.”
As the Madlanga Commission examines the claims of political interference and corruption, Buyanga remains in custody, awaiting a resolution to a case that he insists is rooted in a personal feud rather than criminal justice.