The widow of the late Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) deputy director General Maynard Muzariri has been accused of trying to sell off property of his estate despite the fact that there are outstanding issues yet to be concluded.
The matter came to light when the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) sought clarity from the Master of the High Court after it emerged that his surviving wife, Esther Muzariri, was in the process of selling one of the deceased’s properties.
Muzariri’s estate has not been distributed 11 years after his death as his wife has continued to hold on to the properties.
His death on April 12, 2011 further exposed fears of massive looting and asset stripping by senior government officials as he left an estate running into millions of dollars.
He left behind six children, but his wife registered only three on the estate, sparking a dispute that has dragged on for more than a decade.
Disgruntled claimants of the estate have approached the Master of the High Court, claiming that Esther has not only held on to properties — which include at least eight houses, top-of-the range cars, stands in various locations and a thriving 800ha farm enterprise — but has also not registered all assets in the estate.
Muzariri’s estate was registered under DR772/11 and on July 12, 2011 after a meeting was held that nominated his surviving spouse as executive director.
According to her lawyers Samukange Hungwe Attorneys, Esther convened meetings with the approval of the Muzariri family and compiled properties under the estate which were submitted to the Master of the High Court.
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The estate was subsequently advertised in the state-controlled media for the benefit of potential claimants and debtors to the estate.
“On February 17, the final distribution account was submitted to the Mater of the High Court and lay for public inspection until it was approved and authorised as the final distribution account on 2 May 2012,” read part of her response.
The Master of the High Court has since stopped the selling of any properties under the estate until the matter has been finalised.
Muzariri died at the age of 56. Muzariri died at St Annes Hospital from a liver ailment.
His name was synonymous with the Gukurahundi massacres in the Matabeleland provinces.
Known in CIO circles as a ruthless operator, Muzariri, together with the late Airforce commander Perence Shiri presided over the Gukurahundi massacres in the Matabeleland and Midlands.
After the attainment of independence in 1980, Muzariri was deployed to the Prime Minister’s Office as an intelligence officer.
He was later promoted to the post of director internal in April 1997.
In 2003, the late Robert Mugabe appointed him to the rank of deputy director general in the President’s Department, a rank he held at the time of his death.
