Harare, (New Ziana) – A Harare foreign currency dealer has lost a car and US$16 386 to the State following a ruling by the High Court.
In a statement, the National Prosecution Authority of Zimbabwe (NPAZ) said the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has ordered the forfeiture of a white Honda Airwave vehicle belonging to illegal forex dealer Samuel Chiodze’s sister Ratidzai Chiodze.
The vehicle was seized by the police together with cash amounting to ZWL1 436 500 which was valued at US$16 386 at the time of the seizure.
The Prosecutor-General, through the Asset Forfeiture Unit, then applied for the forfeiture of the vehicle and the money on the basis that they were tainted property because they were proceeds of crime as provided for by sections 79 and 80 of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act Chapter 9:24.
The seizure of the property followed the arrest of Chiodze in September 2021 during a police operation targeting illegal foreign currency dealers.
Detectives received information that Chiodze was illegally dealing in foreign currency. They searched his residence but could not find any evidence indicative of his involvement in the violation of the Exchange Control Act.
The police however seized the motor vehicle which was parked at his residence but he refused to surrender the keys to the vehicle but the police eventually opened the car and found two sacks containing ZWL1 436 500, which was valued at US$16 386 at the time of the seizure.
The court ruled that the motor vehicle was an instrumentality of crime as it was used to store or transport the tainted cash because Chiodze failed to give a satisfactory explanation on how the money ended up in the car.
It rejected his sister’s explanation on how her vehicle and the money ended up in her brother’s custody.
Meanwhile, the High Court is set to deliver judgment in the bail application by Neville Mutsvangwa and his alleged accomplices, Elias Majachani and Simbarashe Tichingana.
The trio approached the High Court seeking bail after they were initially denied by a Harare Magistrate.
They were arraigned before the Harare Magistrates Court facing allegations of contravening the Exchange Control Act, Bank Use Promotion and Suppression of Money Laundering Act as well as the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act.
Allegations are that the three were unlawfully dealing in foreign currency as well as operating an illegal money transfer establishment which they used to unlawfully transfer foreign currency to foreign banks.
Mutsvangwa faces a separate charge of contravening the Postal and Telecommunications Act in that he was allegedly found in possession of Star Link equipment.
In a separate but related development, the High Court has granted bailto an alleged illegal foreign currency dealer, Rangarirai Chimbamba whohad previously been denied bail by a Harare Magistrate.
Chimbamba is facing allegations of contravening Section 5 (1) (a) (ii)of the Exchange Control Act Chapter 22:05 as read with Section 4 (1) (a)(1) of the Exchange Control Regulations SI. 109 of 1996 in that sheillegally dealt in foreign currency together with her co-accused.
She was ordered to pay US$50 bail, reside at her given address andreport to the police once every week.
New Ziana
