adminNyore Madzianike
Senior Court Reporter
PAKISTANI businessman Ali Mohammed, who is jointly charged with Henrietta Rushwaya and three others for attempting to smuggle gold out of the country on Tuesday temporarily got back his passport to enable him to travel to South Africa for a business meeting.
Harare regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna ordered the release of Mohammed’s passport until March 31 for him to meet other investors across the Limpopo.
Mr Nduna also temporarily scrapped his police reporting conditions during the period of his travel.
This was after Mohammed, through his lawyer Mr Admire Rubaya, applied for the temporary release of his passport to afford him a chance to attend the investors’ meeting.
Mohammed increased his bail by $2 million with additional title deeds to his two Crowhill properties measuring 1 785 and 1 178 square metres respectively as surety.
He was initially released on $100 000 bail.
This is the second time that Mr Nduna has allowed Mohammed to travel for a business meeting, although he failed to travel on the first occasion because of logistical issues.
Mr Rubaya, in the application, told the court that Mohammed wanted to attend an investor’s meeting with intentions to lure other investors into the country.
He said his aim was also to increase his investment in the country.
“He has engaged with Gregton Consultancy where he is required to visit the Johannesburg-based company for meetings relating to investments and exploration.
“He is a businessman of repute and would not want to soil his name by evading the jurisdiction of the court.
“Accused is one of the real investors that the New Dispensation managed to convince, through various international meetings, to come and invest in a bid to improve our economy and living conditions of the general populace,” he said.
“The accused intends to meet with other investors with the view of convincing them to partner him in mining and exploration in this country.”
Mr Rubaya said Mohammed’s visit to South Africa was aimed at complementing Government efforts to lure investors into the country.
“His visit is designed to complement Government efforts as the economy was not spared by Covid-19 effects.
The State, led by Mr Charles Muchemwa, had opposed the release of the passport saying Mr Rubaya had failed to demonstrate why the passport was supposed to be released.
“The main basis of the application is on a trip for an investors business meeting. The questions is, at whose behest is he travelling. He is not a Government official and he should have been accompanied by a Government official if he wants to further the interests of the State.
“It is not enough to say he will cover interests of State without an Government official document or delegate. There are no supporting documents from Government,” he said.
Mr Muchemwa said Mohammed application was a ploy to move out of the country once he secured the passport.
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