A BEITBRIDGE-BASED airtime vendor could not contain his joy on tasting freedom for the first time Friday since his arrest two months ago on suspicion of being a foreign currency trader.
Tonderai Hove (31) heaved a sigh of relief when magistrate Takudzwa Gwazemba ordered his release saying the evidence led by the State was unreliable and incoherent.
Gwazemba rapped the State for failing to disclose that on his arrest on April 27, Hove had wads of airtime juice cards on him suggesting that he was a vendor.
"That you had airtime cards recovered on you when you were searched was not mentioned in the State papers although a witness told the court that, which went along with what you said. The police also said they found money in your pocket when they searched you unlike the charge which said you were holding the cash. It means you were selling airtime and not foreign currency as alleged," Gwazemba ruled.
Hove told the court that he was an airtime vendor and was arrested while conducting his legal business outside the protected Beitbridge Border Post. But the investigating officers claimed they had found him selling currency and touting for clients in a protected area.
A witness called by the State, however, told the court that Hove was a known airtime vendor and was not in the business of selling foreign currency.
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"The State's evidence is not reliable. Airtime found on the accused is not recorded in the State outline," said Gwazemba ordering that Hove be given everything seized from him. On the day in question, plain clothes policemen arrested Hove and seized R1 100 and US$249 accusing him of trading in foreign currency without a licence.
Ronald Mugwagwa prosecuted.