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Court Correspondent
Harare regional magistrate Mr Ngoni Nduna yesterday dismissed a bail application by Detective Assistant Inspector Thomas Mabgwe who is facing bribery charges after being allocated two stands worth US$78 000 in the Sandton Park area.
In his ruling, Mr Nduna said an accused person must be granted bail unless there are compelling reasons justifying their continued detention.
He said statements were yet to be recorded from State witnesses and there was a possibility the accused might interfere with State witnesses.
“There are indeed compelling reasons to withhold bail in this case as alluded to by the State. Therefore, the application is dismissed,” ruled Mr Nduna.
The matter was rolled over to September 15.
In the bail application, Mabgwe’s lawyer, Mr Author Gurira said the allegations against his client were baseless and unfounded.
He submitted that fears of abscondment could only be allayed by surrendering the passport and reporting conditions.
It is the State case that sometime in September 2015, Mabgwe, then stationed at Police General Headquarters intelligence unit, and attached to Harare Magistrates Court as a public prosecutor, went to Delatfin Civil engineering Pvt Ltd where he met director of the company Felix Munyaradzi.
Delatfin was involved in clandestine sale of residential stands and double allocation of stands at Hydon Farm in Harare and this resulted in a number of civil suits and criminal matters.
In a bid to get protection against pending criminal cases, Munyaradzi allegedly gave Mabgwe two stands valued at US$78 000 and an agreement of sale was reached between the two.
The State alleges that Mabgwe had no right to receive any consideration or gift from Munyaradzi.
A list of civil suits involving Munyaradzi’s land developing company, Delatfin Investments, shows that between 2008 and this year, about 66 individuals and companies have sued Munyaradzi at the High Court in civil claims regarding land transactions.
Some of the companies suing Munyaradzi’s company include Drum City and Elimobile, which filed eight cases.
Chitungwiza Municipality has at least four cases against the company while Zvimba Rural District Council has two cases field against the same company.
Lawyers Messrs Andrew Makoni and Charles Chinyama, a top police officer — Erasmus Makodza, Mr Delish Nguwaya and Ms Stella Makaya, among others are some of the individuals embroiled in fierce legal battles with Delatfin at the High Court.
Online Reporter