News / National
Rushwaya applies for discharge in gold smuggling case
26 Jul 2022 at 06:39hrs | Views
THE State yesterday lined up two witnesses in a case where Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya is accused of trying to smuggle gold at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport before she allegedly attempted to bribe the
officials.
The two witnesses include Owen Sibanda and Dzikamai Paradza, who allegedly told the court that Rushwaya tried to bribe them with US$5 000.
Rushwaya, who was represented by Peter Patisani, denied the offence, saying she could not have bribed them because they were junior officers.
In her defence, Rushwaya said she never offered to bribe Sibanda as she did not have cash amounting to US$5 000 on her.
She also told the court that she had picked the wrong bag which had gold instead of the one which had her personal goods.
Rushwaya submitted that she could not have put a bag with gold on an X-ray machine since it would be detected anyway.
She further said her arrest was malicious as she had asked the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe officials to accompany her home to collect the right bag which she intended to take with her.
Sibanda, however, told the court that Rushwaya had offered him US$5 000, but did not specify whether it was United States dollars, South African rand or Zimbabwe dollars.
He told the court that upon searching the bag, they found a black object and gold stashed in it.
After the State represented by Netsai Mushayabasa closed its case, it submitted that it proved a case against Rushwaya as the witnesses narrated events that led to her being arrested.
Rushwaya, through her lawyers, filed for discharge, saying the witness only told the court that she attempted to bribe her, but did not proceed to do so.
Magistrate Learnmore Mapiye postponed the matter to August 1 for ruling on the application for discharge.
officials.
The two witnesses include Owen Sibanda and Dzikamai Paradza, who allegedly told the court that Rushwaya tried to bribe them with US$5 000.
Rushwaya, who was represented by Peter Patisani, denied the offence, saying she could not have bribed them because they were junior officers.
In her defence, Rushwaya said she never offered to bribe Sibanda as she did not have cash amounting to US$5 000 on her.
She also told the court that she had picked the wrong bag which had gold instead of the one which had her personal goods.
Rushwaya submitted that she could not have put a bag with gold on an X-ray machine since it would be detected anyway.
Sibanda, however, told the court that Rushwaya had offered him US$5 000, but did not specify whether it was United States dollars, South African rand or Zimbabwe dollars.
He told the court that upon searching the bag, they found a black object and gold stashed in it.
After the State represented by Netsai Mushayabasa closed its case, it submitted that it proved a case against Rushwaya as the witnesses narrated events that led to her being arrested.
Rushwaya, through her lawyers, filed for discharge, saying the witness only told the court that she attempted to bribe her, but did not proceed to do so.
Magistrate Learnmore Mapiye postponed the matter to August 1 for ruling on the application for discharge.
Source - NewsDay Zimbabwe
