Tourism Minister, Priscah Mupfumira, reportedly wept on Saturday in a Harare court after acting chief Magistrate, Munamato Mutevedzi, placed her on custodial remand for 21 days.
Mupfumira is facing seven counts of corruption and criminal abuse of office involving US$95 million National Social Security Authority (Nssa) funds.
She was arrested on Thursday by a crack team comprising of members of the Military Intelligence Department (MID), Central Investigation Department (CID), Central Intelligence Officers (CIO), Zimbabwe Republic Police law and order and the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) on the instruction of the Zimbabwe Anti -Corruption Commission.
The State had applied for Mupfumira’s detention for three weeks on the basis that she could use her position, as a minister, to interfere with investigations.
In her defence, Mupfumira, through her lawyers led by Mr Charles Chinyama had argued that Section 32 of the Criminal and Procedure Act was unconstitutional. She added that it violated Section 50 of the constitution which provides that every arrested person has the right to be released unconditionally.
Mr Mutevedzi, however, said the right to bail as enshrined in the Constitution was not absolute. He argued:
“Given all these pointers linking the accused person to the commission of the offence, the court is convinced that indeed the State has established grounds which constitute reasonable suspicion that the accused committed offences preferred against her.
The court, therefore, has no hesitation to find that all the requirement for the production of the Prosecutor Generals Certificate produced in terms of section 32 subsection 3 (b) have been met.
More: Sunday News
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