Businessman drops Ramaphosa-linked AI photo charges

Controversial Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivaya, probed for alleged fraud in SA, has dropped charges against his former wife, Sonja Madzikanda, and her mother, Tabitha Madzikanda. The two initially appeared before Harare magistrate Nyaradzo Manokore on charges of cyberbullying and harassment, reports allAfrica. The state had alleged that during Chivayo and Sonja's marriage, she unlawfully accessed his cellphone and downloaded several photographs and videos and shared them with her mother. The state further alleges that the two used artificial intelligence (AI) to generate photographs purporting that Chivayo was once associated with SA President Cyril Ramaphosa. It is the state's case that the two unlawfully published the photographs on various social media platforms and the photographs and videos went viral. This reportedly caused Chivayo substantial emotional distress and humiliation. According to ZimLive, the National Prosecuting Authority alleges the material depicts Chivayo and Ramaphosa together at a time before the two were publicly photographed meeting during Ramaphosa’s visit to Zimbabwe on 3 May. If confirmed, the video would suggest Ramaphosa misled his country when he stated, through his spokesman Vincent Magwenya, that he had never met Chivayo before Mnangagwa brought the millionaire tender tycoon onto the two leaders’ helicopter ride from Harare to Pricabe farm in Kwekwe. Prosecutors said the videos would cause political embarrassment to Ramaphosa.