Businessman Wicknell Chivayo's former wife, Sonja Madzikanda, has been arrested following allegations linked to a child access dispute involving the couple's children. In a video shared online by TheNewsHawks on Monday night, Madzikanda recorded herself inside a dimly lit room at Highlands Police Station, explaining her account of the unfolding dispute.

Sonja speaks out in viral video

Madzikanda claimed the matter began after Chivayo accused her of denying him access to their children. She stated this was not the first time she had faced such a situation, adding that she had also missed her scheduled holiday time with the children.
She explained that after returning from a trip abroad, she collected the children from school  at which point police were allegedly contacted by Chivayo. A second complaint was also allegedly made against her, involving one of Chivayo's devices that she was accused of stealing.
Madzikanda said she believed the developments were part of a broader effort to remove the children from her care.

Background to the divorce battle

The arrest comes weeks after the High Court finalised the couple's divorce settlement on 10 April 2026. Justice Amy Tsanga presided over the ruling, which ordered Chivayo to pay Madzikanda US$5 million  significantly less than the US$25 million, US$40,000 monthly maintenance, and several luxury vehicles she had initially sought.Court documents confirmed that US$2.2 million had already been paid, with the remaining US$2.8 million to be settled within 30 days. The ruling also introduced a detailed parenting arrangement, granting Chivayo structured access rights while Madzikanda retained primary residence of the children.In his affidavit filed before the April ruling, Chivayo had complained about allegedly being denied contact with his children, stating that lost birthdays, milestones, and daily interactions were irrecoverable.

No official statement yet

At the time of publication, no official statement had been issued by the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Wicknell Chivayo, or Madzikanda's legal representatives regarding the arrest.