Judge Grants Billionaire Wicknell’s Ex-wife $5M, a House and Other Benefits in Divorce Settlement
- A case mirroring Richard Nii Armah Quaye’s divorce saga surfaced in Zimbabwe, where a billionaire’s wife filed for a divorce, listing multiple demands for settlement
- The final court ruling on the seven-year marriage, which produced two children, awarded a settlement that has dominated conversations across social media platforms
- Comparisons quickly emerged online, with many weighing the outcome against what Joana Quaye received after her 16-year marriage to Ghanaian business mogul RNAQ
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A Zimbabwean High Court has ordered flamboyant businessman Sir Wicknell Chivayo to pay his ex-wife, Sonja Louise Madzikanda, a $5 million lump sum as part of a divorce settlement that has drawn widespread public attention.
Source: UGC
The ruling also awarded her additional benefits, including a house and structured custody arrangements, bringing an end to a long-running legal dispute that had frequently played out in the public domain.
Sir Wicknell and Sonja Madzikanda met and tied the knot in 2017 after he visited her family home for a traditional ceremony, and separated in 2024, the same year that claims surfaced that the businessman had remarried.
Following the breakdown of the marriage, Madzikanda initially pursued a $25 million settlement and several other stakes in businesses they jointly built during their seven-year marriage.
After failed attempts at an out-of-court resolution, the matter was taken before the court for determination.
The court ultimately awarded her a revised settlement of $5 million as alimony for the dissolution of the marriage and the welfare of the children, alongside ownership of a house and other benefits.
The ruling has since sparked wide public discussion online.
Court rules in Wicknell divorce settlement case
Beyond the $5 million awarded in the divorce settlement, the ex-wife has also filed a separate case seeking US$40,000 monthly spousal maintenance until she remarries.
She is further requesting a share of luxury assets, including three Rolls-Royces, a Lamborghini Urus, a Mercedes-Benz Maybach, and a private jet.
In addition, she is laying claim to several properties in Harare and a Sandton apartment in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Her claims also extend to business interests in companies such as Intratek, WMC Trading, and Trintas Petroleum.
Watch the full breakdown of what Wicknell's ex-wife demanded in the YouTube video below.
The ruling also established clear co-parenting arrangements for the couple’s minor children.
While Madzikanda was granted primary residence, the court outlined structured access for her estranged husband.
According to Justice Tsanga, Wicknell is entitled to spend one uninterrupted week per month with the children, as well as all weekends and alternate public holidays.
The court further directed that the children spend Father’s Day with him, with flexible arrangements if it falls outside his scheduled access period.
“Where Father’s Day does not fall on the applicant’s scheduled weekend, the applicant may collect the minor children on Father’s Day and return them to the respondent’s residence by the end of the day,” the ruling stated.
Read the Instagram details below.
Wicknell case draws comparisons to RNAQ saga
The settlement has also triggered conversations beyond Zimbabwe, with many social media users drawing comparisons to similar high-profile divorce cases across Africa.
In Ghana, a recent case involving wealthy businessman Richard Nii Armah Quaye (RNAQ) and his ex-wife, Joana, reportedly resulted in the woman receiving less than one per cent of the alimony she had sought, a development that has sparked public debate.
The contrast between the two rulings has fuelled reactions from legal commentators and advocacy groups, who continue to question fairness in spousal settlements and the broader interpretation of marital contributions in court decisions.
The Zimbabwe case, meanwhile, remains one of the most talked-about divorce rulings in recent months due to its scale, financial implications, and structured custody arrangements.
Source: UGC
Meanwhile, in an unusual twist that also attracted public attention, reports indicate that Wicknell rewarded members of his legal team with luxury gifts, including 2026 Range Rover Sport cars and $50,000 each for their efforts in handling the case.
International women lawyers react to RNAQ settlement
YEN.com.gh also reported that the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Ghana had expressed strong concern over certain comments made in the High Court judgement involving Richard Nii Armah Quaye and his former wife, Joana.
The group described the remarks made by the presiding official as inappropriate and inconsistent with gender-sensitive adjudication, including remarks that focused on the ex-wife's appearance, which were described as both irrelevant and worrying.
Source: YEN.com.gh
