admin
scrapped.
Through their lawyer, Mr Harrison Nkomo of Mtetwa and Nyambirai law firm, Casimjee Bilal (28), Henry Radebe (57), Samuel Risimati Baloyi (60) and Sydney Masito Sekgobela – had applied for relaxation of their bail conditions.
Harare magistrate Mr Shane Kubonera allowed the application and their reporting conditions.
They can now apply for the release of their passports at the High Court.
On Monday, the quartet through Ms Beatrice Mtetwa had applied for the court to permit them to be given their passports to enable them to travel to South Africa and see their families.
She stated that the State has been changing goalposts since the day the four first appeared in court.
The four are accused of conniving with Ping Sung Hsieh who is awaiting extradition hearing in South Africa to swindle Mrs Olga Bungu of US$1 million in a truck supply deal.
The State alleged they were supposed to supply six Scania trucks with trailers but instead they delivered three South African registered Iveco trucks and trailers that had temporary vehicle import permits.
Ms Mtetwa said the process to have Ping extradited to Zimbabwe will take ages thereby prejudicing the four.
She also said they have been renting accommodation for the past four months and had troubles in getting free accommodation because they are accused of defrauding the First Lady and her aide (Mrs) Olga Bungu.
She said the four were pawns in a big man’s game and were independent drivers that did not know what happened in the deal between Ping and the First Lady.
Ms Mtetwa said the State failed to follow the procedures in Ping’s extradition since Bungu and law enforcement agencies improperly went to South Africa to interrogate Ping.
However, chief law Officer Mr Chris Mutangadura said the trial has to continue in Ping’s presence on July 25 after his extradition hearing in South Africa since he was the masterminder of the alleged fraud.
The State alleges that Bilal, Radebe, Baloyi and Masito connived with Ping to swindle Mrs Bungu of US$1 million and they connived to import South African registered trucks sometime in 2007.
Ping was allegedly supposed to supply six Scania trucks and sixdrop side trailers that included driver training.
Ping allegedly advised the complainant that the trucks would be delivered upon payment and on August 22, 2007 Bungu through the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe deposited US$1 million into Chantra Trading’s company account with Standard Bank, South Africa.
However, the State says, the trucks were not delivered. On July 24 last year, Ping was arrested in South Africa.
On February 18 this year, it is alleged, Ping hired the four drivers to bring into Zimbabwe Iveco trucks registered under another of his companies, Fast Truck Haulage CC.
They had temporary import permits that expired on March 4 and for unknown reasons were left at Grace Mugabe Orphanage Home on February 19 at around 9pm.
Online Reporter