Wicknell Chivayo Death: Jacob & Co Deletes Zimbabwean Millionaire’s Photos Hours After His Death
- Jacob & Co quietly scrubbed all Instagram content linked to Zimbabwean millionaire Wicknell Chivayo shortly after his death
- Chivayo and his wife Lucy died in a helicopter crash near Marondera on 30 September 2026
- The luxury watch brand had hosted Chivayo in Geneva in July 2026, where he spent millions on watches
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Luxury Swiss watch brand Jacob & Co has deleted all Instagram posts connected to Zimbabwean businessman Wicknell Chivayo, removing evidence of their high-profile collaboration less than a day after his death was confirmed.
Chivayo, 45, and his wife Lucy were killed when their helicopter went down near Marondera on Wednesday evening, 30 September 2026. The aircraft crashed in a rural area at around 5 p.m. while the couple were flying to Harare, according to family spokesman Herbert Chivayo. He would have turned 46 in November.
Jacob & Co allegedly removes Wicknell Chivayo posts
The deletion has raised eyebrows across social media, given the brand's previously warm relationship with the businessman. In July 2026, Chivayo visited Jacob & Co's headquarters in Geneva, where he was personally hosted by founder Jacob Arabo. During that trip, he spent an eye-watering $4.3 million (roughly R70 369 973) on timepieces, including the flagship Billionaire Double Tourbillon, priced at $3.4 million. The brand had documented and celebrated those purchases on its social platforms at the time.
The scrubbing of those posts, carried out quietly and without public explanation, has sparked a wave of speculation about whether the brand was distancing itself from Chivayo's controversial reputation. His wealth had long been a subject of debate in Zimbabwe and beyond, with critics consistently questioning how he had accumulated his fortune.
See the post below:
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Peeps react after Jacob & Co deletes posts
The move drew sharp responses online. See the post that sparked the conversation below.
@_Tr3blig_ wrote:
"Lmao, I called it some time back. The guy was swimming with sharks. Too bad he was naive, and his love for fine things made him ignore the red flags."
@steadyMasi22 said:
"Something smells fishy; why remove any links? They knew he was bad for business, but they still accepted his money."
@p2massive offered a blunter take:
"They were just flattering him so he would buy more. Now he's become a bad association for the brand, and since he won't be spending more, they'll gladly forget him."
@Lulu420i asked:
"How much exactly was he worth? And what happened to those who were benefiting from his proceeds? Why is he portrayed as a corrupt millionaire? Twitter has been so mean around his name. What did he do exactly? Can someone explain this to me like I'm 5 years old?"
@Gushaz28 was more sardonic, quipping:
"What do you mean by 'quietly' — How do you delete loudly?"
Jacob & Co has not issued any public statement explaining the removal of the posts. Briefly News contacted Jacob & Co for a comment and will update the article with their response.
Source: Instagram
Wicknell Chivayo helicopter crash victims named
Meanwhile, Briefly News reported that Zimbabwe's Minister of Youth Empowerment, Tino Machakaire, named all five people who died in the helicopter crash that claimed Wicknell Chivayo's life.
Wicknell Chivayo, a prominent and at times controversial Zimbabwean businessman, would have turned 46 in November.
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Source: Briefly News
