adminRushwaya, alleged to be the mastermind of the Asiagate scandal in which top Zifa officials were reportedly involved in fixing soccer matches, last month had part of her bail conditions temporarily suspended to allow her to attend business meetings in South Africa and Dubai.
She is facing 11 counts of concealing transactions from the principal, two counts of fraud and 15 others of bribery involving $1 million.
When she first appeared in court, Rushwaya was granted $500 coupled with stringent conditions.
She was ordered to report to the police once every fortnight, not to interfere with investigations and to surrender her passport to the Clerk of Court until the matter was finalised.
However, yesterday the Attorney General’s Office consented to Rushwaya’s request to have her passport back.
In its consent note the AG’s Office said Rushwaya had known of the investigations against her as far back as 2010 but she never tried to interfere or escape.
It was also indicated that Rushwaya had on several occasions been temporarily given back her passport and she never fled.
Her lawyer Jonathan Samkange of Samkange and Venturas said the State will not suffer any prejudice by the scrapping of the bail condition.
The defence also sought to cancel the reporting conditions but magistrate Anita Tshuma rejected the request on the grounds of the seriousness of the crime Rushwaya is facing.
Samukange gave notice of the defence’s intention to apply for refusal of further remand if the prosecution fails to complete its investigations by April 27, the next remand date.
Tapiwa Kasema alleges that Rushwaya, as an agent of Zifa, connived with former programmes officer Jonathan Musavengana and Asian betting syndicate leader Raja Perumal
and unlawfully authorised the national soccer team and Monomotapa FC to attend international sporting tours.
They allegedly arranged that the full nature of transactions would not be disclosed to the Zifa board and the Sports and Recreation Commission.
It is alleged Perumal funded the trips to Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Oman, Jordan, Bulgaria, China, Thailand and Yemen.
Rushwaya, between 2007 and 2009, allegedly engaged match officials, players, technical staff and media personnel in respect of all the 15 international games played and received $1 million to throw away matches.
According to the State, witnesses will testify that they received clear instructions to concede goals at given intervals.
On the two counts of fraud, Rushwaya, in July 2009, allegedly arranged matches between the senior national football team, the Warriors and the Malaysian national team, which were not approved by Zifa.
All expenses for the trip were allegedly paid in Malaysia.
It is alleged Rushwaya, with the intention to defraud Zifa and the SRC, sent Monomotapa FC to Malaysia misrepresenting that it was the national team.
The fake Warriors team played two matches in Malaysia.
Online Reporter