Vusumuzi Dube
Harare Bureau
Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya has been convicted on charges of attempting to smuggle 6kg of gold through the VIP route at Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport, three years ago.
She was remanded in custody to 10 November 2023, for sentencing.
Rushwaya, who was being charged along with two Central Intelligence Organisation operatives Stephen Tserai and Raphios Mufandauya, had denied the charge when her trial began at the High Court, last month.
Tserai and Mufandauya have since been acquitted due to lack of evidence, at the close of the state case.
Rushwaya was accused of trying to smuggle 6kg of gold worth US$333,042.28 out of Zimbabwe.
In her defence, Rushwaya denied the charge, claiming that she mistakenly picked the wrong bag containing gold instead of her own.
The prosecution case was that Rushwaya failed to provide a valid export permit and presented a fake invoice and packing list from a company called Ali Japan 786 (Pvt) Limited.
Rushwaya was arrested at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on October 26, 2020, while trying to board a flight to Dubai.
She was found in possession of a handbag containing 6kg of gold valued at approximately US$333,000.
Bongani Ndlovu