THE High Court will today make a ruling on a bail application by Zanu PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa’s son, Neville, in a case in which he is charged with illegally dealing in foreign currency and money laundering.
Neville’s lawyer Josephine Sande submitted before High Court judge Justice Esther Maremba on Thursday that Neville, charged alongside his co-accused Elias Majachani and Simbarashe Tichingana, was a proper candidate for bail.
Sande submitted that the magistrate’s court erred by denying Neville bail, arguing that the mere possession of Visa cards was not illegal, and also not evidence that someone is dealing with cash or money laundering. Sande said bank cards are properties of the bank which has authority to disclose transactions undertaken using the seized cards.
She said there was no way the State could charge Neville and his co-accused with money laundering charges without the involvement of the central bank or the Financial Intelligence Unit which would have raised suspicions on the transactions using the Visa cards.
Sande argued that the police arrested Neville in order for them to investigate, adding that the State has failed to prove the essential elements to charge the accused with money laundering.
“The accused does not deal with cash and has not laundered any money out of this jurisdiction. He has some free funds which he buys goods for resale in this country,” Sande submitted.
“Whenever the goods arrive the clients will come to pay at the office. That is the register that he keeps at the office.”
The High Court recently granted US$50 bail to Rangarirai Chimbamba, an alleged illegal foreign currency dealer.
- Fresh land invasions hit Whitecliff
- Pomona cash row escalates
- Border Timbers targets European markets
- SA name strong A side for Zim tour
Keep Reading
Chimbamba had previously been denied bail by a Harare magistrate.
Neville, who is also son of Women’s Affairs minister Monica was arrested after police raided his Mt Pleasant home last week.
