HARARE - Chimurenga music legend Thomas Mapfumo has scoffed at claims that he is not returning to Zimbabwe for fear of being arrested over five BMW cars that were confiscated from him by the state 12 years ago.

Persistent media reports have alleged the police would pounce on the Chimurenga music star should he return to his motherland.

But Mapfumo insisted to the Daily News in an exclusive interview from South Africa on Monday that he had no case to answer on the contentious cars.

“It is time we got to the bottom of the matter so that the nation can know that I have always been innocent,” said the Chimurenga super star.

Mapfumo claimed it was strange for people to suggest his fear of arrest when the people who sold the five cars to him are living freely in Zimbabwe.

“The people who sold the cars to me are roaming freely in Zimbabwe so why should I be arrested ?”, queried Mapfumo.
“A lot of untrue statements have been said about the cars issue but I have deliberately not commented but soon Zimbabwe will know the full facts”.

In a separate interview with the Daily News, Mapfumo’s Zimbabwean manager Cuthbert Chiromo added Mapfumo had initially been reluctant to pursue the matter.

“We have been quiet on the matter but we have decided to open up because Mukanya’s reputation is unnecessarily being tarnished. The truth of the matter is there was never a police docket on the matter; there is no docket right now”.

According to Chiromo, of the five BMW cars impounded in 2000, one was returned.

“Mapfumo’s late lawyer Lipworth Kabote had only managed to secure one car when he tragically passed away. The car was in such a bad state that Mukanya for a moment resolved not to pursue the remaining four cars but he later changed his mind”.

The Daily News was shown a 2002 Bak Storage receipt (Number 58318) for 92 902 Zimbabwean dollars the Chimurenga superstar paid in storage fees to secure the return of a BMW 325i (Registration number 797-500X).

Chiromo added that after Mapfumo had pushed for the return of his cars following the death of his lawyer, he was invited by the police to reclaim his cars but they were nowhere to be seen.

“Two senior CID officers a Mr Marodza and a Mr Mahohoma gave us the permission to get back the cars but just like that they had disappeared. The cars were all BMWs — a 528; a 320; 328 and 318.

“Senior police officers are helping us to get to the bottom of the matter so that we can trace who took the cars. The police are cooperating with us so we can put this matter to rest, said Chiromo. - Dakarai Mashava, Entertainment Editor