Police intensify Ginimbi death probe
NATIONAL police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Paul Nyathi yesterday said they were intensifying investigations into the death of socialite and businessman Genius “Ginimbi” Kadungure who died in a horror car accident along Borrowdale Road, Harare on Sunday morning.
Ginimbi (36) died when his Rolls-Royce Wraith vehicle collided head-on with a Honda Fit while driving back to his Domboshava home in the company of Limumba Karim, believed to be from Malawi, socialite Mitchel “Moana” Amuli and Alichia Adams.
They were coming from Moana’s 26th birthday party at Ginimbi’s Club Dreams, formerly Sankayi in Harare’s avenues area. They all perished in the accident.
In an interview with NewsDay Life &Style yesterday Nyathi said: “We are still conducting our investigations, keep checking with us tomorrow.”
There has been a conspiracy theory that Ginimbi had been shot over illegal dealings.
There were also allegations that Karim was wanted in Malawi in connection with a US$30m money-laundering case.
According to Malawi publication Nyasa Times, Karim was a fugitive from justice, wanted in connection with the country’s biggest corruption scandal.
Known as “Cashgate”, the 2013 scandal saw more than $32 million being siphoned from government coffers and resulted in donors who bankrolled the country’s budget by up to 40%, pulling the plug on aid.
Media reports claimed that Karim fled to South Africa after the heist.
His bail was revoked in January 2017 and an arrest warrant issued after he failed to attend court.
Meanwhile, Ginimbi’s brother and family spokesperson Darlington Kadungure, told NewsDay Life & Style that his late brother would be buried on Saturday at his mansion which is set to be turned into a hotel according to his wish.
“As a family, we have agreed that Ginimbi, as he is known to the people, is a big man who deserves a befitting send off and to that effect he will be buried on Saturday. We have also considered that he has some friends who are in the diaspora who also want to come and attend the burial,” he said.
“We are all aware that due to COVID-19 travelling is a challenge, so we want to give them time to come. Those who might not be able to fly and want to come by road at least might have time to travel before burial on Saturday.”
Darlington said as per tradition, Ginimbi’s body would undergo post-mortem today and was set to lay in state at his Domboshava mansion on Friday ahead of burial on Saturday.
He said mourners would be gathered at his father’s house to allow undertakers to prepare the grave.