ZIMBABWE Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya, arrested Tuesday on a charge of defrauding an Indian businessman of US$1 million in a botched mine acquisition deal, has been released on US$500 bail.
Harare magistrate Stanford Mambanje presided over the bail application Wednesday afternoon and remanded the matter to May 10.
The investigating officer Rinaye Mateke had opposed bail arguing that Rushwaya’s alleged accomplices are still at large, adding that she might interfere with investigations since she is often in contact with them.
But Rushwaya’s lawyer Oliver Marwa insisted she was a suitable candidate for bail. He told the court that his client was facing a civil matter and, that there was no justification to keep her behind bars. Marwa added that there was no written agreement between her and the complainant, hence the State’s case was weak.
Appearing for the State, Lancelot Mutsokoti told the court that Rushwaya managed to get Ashok Jain to pay US$1 million for her defunct gold claim at Umupfurudzi Mine in Mashonaland Central province.
According to court documents, Rushwaya met Jain in 2021 after she gathered that he was interested in investing in Zimbabwe. She allegedly promised to help him start a liquor distribution company, establish a distillery, and set up an ethanol plant as long as he was willing to fund the businesses.
In April 2021, Rushwaya allegedly initially demanded US$35 000 and kept demanding more.
It is alleged that Rushwaya got Jain to pay US$350 000 for a mining claim in Mashonaland Central, although the special grant had expired in May 2021.
- Zimbabwe’s smuggled gold destined for China
- Zimbabwe’s smuggled gold destined for China
- Village Rhapsody: Sanctions are not the reason Zim is in a mess
- Village Rhapsody: Sanctions are not the reason Zim is in a mess
Keep Reading
On December 26, 2021, Rushwaya demanded an initial payment of US$175 000 for the purchase of the alleged gold mine.
The court heard that the money was paid to the accused's representative Richard between January 2022 and May 2022.
Rushwaya allegedly misrepresented to the complainant that she was preparing for mining activities to resume and she was paid various amounts of money adding up to US$615 000 by the complainant.
On May 12, 2022, she allegedly demanded another US$175 000 for the purchase of the alleged Umpfurudzi Gold Mine, and the money was deposited into a United Arab Emirates bank account.
Of that, US$3 000 was later transferred into Rushwaya's Zimbabwe account and the remainder US$172 000 was deposited into Relm Mining Syndicate (Pvt) Ltd's account, the State alleges.
After receiving the money, Rushwaya allegedly forged a geologist's report that concluded that there was no gold in the mines and tried to get Jain to buy another mine in Shangani.
