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Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
Two Rwandan nationals yesterday appeared in court after they were caught in possession of $87 450 at the Harare International Airport, which they wanted to smuggle out of the country.
Charles Rubayita (50) and Alphonsine Mukanyandwi (42) appeared separately before magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe, facing charges of exporting foreign currency exceeding the prescribed amount ($1 000)
Mr Mahwe granted the duo $500 bail each.
As part of their bail conditions, they were ordered to surrender their passports, reside at their given addresses, report twice every Mondays at police Minerals and Border Control Unit in Harare and not to interfere with State witnesses.
Allegations are that on June 5 at around 2pm, at the Harare International Airport, detectives from Minerals and Border Control Unit placed the duo who wanted to travel on Ethiopian Airways under surveillance after receiving a tip off that they wanted to smuggle cash exceeding the stipulated $1 000.
It is alleged that Rubayita and Mukanyandwi went past the ZIMRA desk and declared nothing. They went past the immigration check point where they presented their passports for stamping of departure stamp.
The court heard that when the duo passed the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe screening point, the officers confronted them and were taken to a search room where they were searched together with their bags.
It is the State’s case that the body search recovered $30 000 in Rubayita’s socks and $50 950 in his hand luggage bringing the total to $80 950.
From Mukanyandwi, the officers recovered $4 000 from her wallet and $2 500 in her grey handbag, bringing the total to $6 500.
The court heard that the $6 000 is well above the stipulated $1 000 which an individual is allowed to take out of the country.
Online Reporter