High Court judge Justice Benjamin Chikowero on Wednesday threw out a bail appeal by suspended Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) president, Ms Henrietta Rushwaya.
Rushwaya is being accused of intending to smuggle six (6) kgs of purified gold to Dubai via the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International airport two months ago.
He other accomplices believed to be part of her gold smuggling syndicate, Central Intelligence Organisation (CIO) operatives Raphios Mufandauya, Steven Tserayi, and Rushwaya’s subordinate Gift Karanda were also denied bail.
Rushwaya approached the High Court after Harare magistrate Ngoni Nduna had dismissed her bail application. She appealed at the High Court arguing Nduna had erred in denying the group bail. She said:
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The applicant does not harbour any ambition to leave the country as she has serious interests in the land, and upon acquittal, she intends to continue with her mining business as she possesses various business interests that are sounding in real money as she has a special grant in favour of her company and is in partnership with the Zimbabwe Mining Development Corporation for some serious mining business.
In denying bail to Rushwaya and her co-accused, Justice Chikovero said there was no misdirection in magistrate Nduna’s ruling.
The development was confirmed by Rushwaya’s lawyer Tapson Dzvetero who added that he was “not in a position to give full details now.”
Ali Mohammed, a Pakistan businessman who was also implicated in the foiled smuggle plot is already out on a $100 000 bail.
