Staff Reporter
Two of the eight suspected Gweru illegal foreign currency dealers who have been in prison for more than two months, were granted bail by the Masvingo High Court.
Justice Sunsley Zisengwe granted Abraham Mafukidze (24) and Julius Nyamapfeni (41) US$50 bail each.
Mafukidze and Nyamapfeni were initially denied bail by Gweru Provincial Magistrate Beaulity Dube on May 13, 2024, after being charged with violating the country’s exchange control Act.
However, they successfully appealed against the refusal of bail through their lawyer, Esau Mandipa.
Mandipa argued that his clients were not dealing in foreign currency and that there were no compelling reasons for the magistrate to deny them bail.
He told the court that it is not an offense to transact in United States dollars in Zimbabwe since the country operates a multi-currency regime, and the US dollar is one of the accepted currencies.
Granting the bail, Justice Zisengwe ordered Mafukidze and Nyamapfeni to deposit US$50 or its equivalent in Zimbabwean currency through the Clerk of Court, Gweru Magistrates’ Court.
The duo, was also ordered to reside at the given address and report to the police once a week.
It is the state’s case that on April 23, 2024, around 11:30 AM, Mafukidze and Nyamapfeni were arrested at Chicken Inn while conducting a money transfer transaction of US$2.
The two were apprehended by three detectives who were on surveillance duty, targeting illegal foreign currency dealers.