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Zvikomborero Parafini
GRAY Homes Construction directors — Annavestah and Gray Mudiwa — suffered a setback yesterday when Harare regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa dismissed the couple’s third bail bid.
Last night, the couple spent their 57th night in remand prison.
Last week, the couple filed an application for bail on changed circumstances in the fraud case involving US$900 000.
They argued that time has lapsed since their arrest and no significant progress has been made in the State’s investigations.
They also produced proof that when they were arrested in Beitbridge, they were in fact attending a mining conference in South Africa rubbishing the State’s allegation that they were fleeing from this jurisdiction.
Magistrate Gofa, in her ruling, stated that she is suspicious of the proof and that the compelling reasons advanced by the State are still intact.
“There’s no proof that they are into mining and if they were invited for a meeting in South Africa there was no need for them to go by road and there’s no plausible reason given for them to elect to travel by road when it made economic sense that they went by air as the husband had already bought a ticket.
“When the husband took the stand, he told the court that he’s a man of means and could afford to buy another air ticket for his wife.
“Court is suspicious because their car wasn’t cleared by the Vehicle Theft Squad before they proceeded to travel to South Africa. While the court isn’t punishing them for traveling by road, the inference that can be drawn is that they intended to flee to South Africa and this can’t be taken as a changed circumstances.
“They are facing a serious offence and there’s an incentive for them to flee and the compelling reasons are still intact as previously found by this court and by the High Court,” she said.
Magistrate Gofa also dismissed the couple’s bail application on the seven other fraud charges.
They will return to court on November 15.
Online Reporter