HARARE – Suspected foreign currency dealer Neville Mutsvangwa, 44, and his two co-accused have been granted US$1,000 bail each by the High Court to end nearly a month of remand prison detention.
The son to Women’s Affairs minister Monica Mutsvangwa and Zanu PF spokesperson Chris Mutsvangwa is jointly accused of illegal forex trade and money laundering with Elias Majachani, 45 and Simbarashe Tichingana, 38.
“The court aquo erred in failing to note that no compelling reasons were advanced by the State warranting continued detention of the applicants,” ruled Justice Rodgers Manyangadze before setting aside magistrate Dennis Mangosi’s ruling denying the three bail.
As part of their bail conditions, the three were ordered to each deposit US$1,000 with the Clerk of Court, not to interfere with witnesses, continue residing at their given addresses and to surrender travelling documents.
Mutsvangwa faces a count of dealing in foreign currency, one count of contravening the Bank Use Promotion and Suppression of Money Laundering Act and another count of contravening the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act.
Josephine Sande, representing Mutsvangwa and his suspected accomplices, could not hide her joy.
“We are relieved that he has finally been granted bail. It has been almost two months of running around, having stress and trying to put things in order but today we have good news to deliver to him,” she said.
Mutsvangwa is the first individual with close links to Zimbabwe’s political establishment to be caught in a state blitz against illegal foreign currency dealers.
His parents, regarded an influential couple by virtue of their close links to President Emmerson Mnangagwa, insist his arrest is political.
