Model, accomplice denied bail over cocaine

Yeukai Karengezeka

Court Correspondent

Model Tumelo Nare and her friend Precious Bango, who were allegedly found walking around hotel corridors naked and behaving strangely, apparently under the influence of cocaine, were yesterday denied bail.

The two appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi on charges of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs.

He turned down their bail application and remanded them in custody to March 23.

Mr Mangosi ruled that considering the two were behaving in a strange manner and walking around naked, the argument presented by their lawyer was that Bango was drunk and Nare fell into a trance after fits, leading to that behaviour, was “not satisfying at this stage”.

“If granted bail, they are likely to abscond, therefore, bail is denied under the circumstances,” said Mr Mangosi.

The two were represented by Mr Liberty Gono who had told the court that Bango was drunk because of alcohol, while Nare went into a trance after suffering fits.

Bango had panicked at that stage leading to the strange behaviour.

The two young women alleged that the cocaine found in their room by the police who were called in by the hotel security belonged to Jaison Pamhidzayi, who is still at large and is the one who had booked the hotel room for them.

The State led by Mr Zebediah Bofu is alleging that on Sunday at around 6.15pm, detectives from CID Drugs and Narcotics in Harare were called by Crowne Plaza Monomotapa hotel security and were informed that the two were behaving awkwardly and were walking naked in the corridors of the hotel.

The detectives reacted and went to the hotel where they found the two in room 1605 on the 16th floor. They searched the room and found and seized a white powder which was on a table.

A field test confirmed it was 0,2g of cocaine with a street value of around $16 000. They arrested the two and took them down to CID Drugs and Narcotics. Police are still hunting for Pamhidzayi, who reportedly left when the two women allegedly started misbehaving and walking naked in the corridors.