Mnangagwa's daughter-in-law denied bail

President Emmerson Mnangagwa's daughter-in-law Kelsea Tafirenyika and her uncle, Isaac Jessub, have been denied bail after a Harare magistrate ruled that they were flight risks and posed a danger to society.

Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa ruled that there were no bail conditions that could adequately prevent the two from absconding or allegedly committing further offences.

"The applicants have nothing to lose and can abscond trial," Gofa said.

The magistrate noted that Jessub claimed he had no travel documents, while Tafirenyika allegedly possessed another identity document.

Gofa said there was prima facie evidence that Tafirenyika had used an identity document bearing the name Getrude Bandza, raising further concerns that she could evade prosecution.

The magistrate also rejected the accused persons' claims that their alleged detractors had planted the drugs on them.

She said Jessub was the first person to be arrested and allegedly led police to Tafirenyika, making it unlikely that officers would have known in advance that she was allegedly in possession of drugs.

"The society should be protected by keeping the accused persons locked," Gofa ruled.

The matter was postponed to August 27 to allow police to conduct further investigations.

The State, represented by Lancelot Mutsokoti, alleges that Jessub was involved in the sale of dangerous drugs and kept drugs in a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

The court heard that on August 4, police received information that Jessub was allegedly dealing in drugs and placed him under surveillance.

Investigating officer Nivert Charuma told the court that officers observed Jessub sitting in the driver's seat of a Mercedes-Benz and allegedly repackaging ampoules into two envelopes.

Police approached him, identified themselves and informed him that they intended to search him for dangerous drugs.

According to Charuma, Jessub consented to the search, during which police allegedly recovered 13 ampoules of morphine and five ampoules of pethidine.

Officers also allegedly recovered empty boxes for morphine and pethidine, as well as two 100ml bottles of Broncleer from beneath the driver's seat.

The State alleges that questioning Jessub about the source of the drugs led investigators to Tafirenyika, his niece.

Police subsequently raided Tafirenyika's home in Greystone Park, where they allegedly recovered pethidine, morphine and cannabis.

Prosecutors told the court that detectives found Tafirenyika sitting on her bed counting ampoules and placing them on the bed when they entered her bedroom at about 8pm.

Police allegedly recovered eight ampoules of Fresenius Pethidine, 10 ampoules of Verpat Pethidine and seven 1ml ampoules of Fresenius Morphine Sulphate from her.

A further search allegedly uncovered 72 ampoules of Verpat Pethidine, 64 Fresenius Pethidine ampoules and 43 ampoules of Morphine Sulphate in bedroom drawers.

Five rolls of dagga were also allegedly found concealed in the driver's armrest of her white Lamborghini.

The State said the drugs seized as exhibits had an estimated value of US$204.

Prosecutors further alleged that some of the pethidine recovered was destined for foreign markets, suggesting that Tafirenyika had overseas links that could potentially assist her in evading prosecution.

Jessub is also alleged to have sold drugs at Sam Levy Village in Borrowdale.

The allegations have not been tested in court. Both Tafirenyika and Jessub are presumed innocent until proven guilty.