Mnangagwa Daughter-In-Law Remanded In Custody

President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s daughter-in-law, Kelsea Tadiwa Tafirenyika, is facing more legal trouble after the State alleged she was found with two different national identity documents.

Tafirenyika, 22, is the second wife of Collins Mnangagwa, the President’s son.

Tafirenyika and her maternal uncle, Isaac Arab Jessub, were remanded in custody until 12 August by Harare regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa following their arrest on charges of unlawful possession of dangerous drugs.

During the bail hearing, the investigating officer told the court that detectives recovered two national identity cards bearing different names, but both allegedly linked to the accused.

According to the State, one identity card was in the name of Gertrude Badza while the other was in the name of Kelsea Tadiwa Tafirenyika.

The investigating officer said checks with the Civil Registry showed that Kelsea Tadiwa Tafirenyika was her genuine identity, while the other name did not exist on the registry’s database.

The officer further alleged that police recovered drugs and used syringes from Tafirenyika’s bed during a search of her home in Greystone Park.

Friday’s proceedings also focused on claims that the two accused were assaulted during their arrest.

The court ordered that both Tafirenyika and Jessub undergo medical examinations after they complained of being assaulted by police officers.

Their lawyer, Malvern Mapako, said the order followed their claims that officers used excessive force during the arrest.

“The court has ordered that Tafirenyika and her co-accused be medically examined after they raised complaints against police officers,” Mapako said.

The defence alleges that the pair were subjected to violence, forced to hand over their mobile phones and made to sign seizure certificates.

Although the investigating officer denied the claims, the defence insisted the accused had been badly beaten, prompting the magistrate to clear the courtroom before checking the areas where they said they had been injured.

Tafirenyika was arrested after detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department’s Drugs and Narcotics unit allegedly recovered pethidine, morphine and cannabis during a raid at her home in Greystone Park on 4 August.

Prosecutors allege that police found more than 200 ampoules of pethidine and morphine in her bedroom, while five rolls of cannabis were allegedly found hidden inside her Lamborghini.

The State is opposing bail, arguing that investigations are still ongoing, that detectives are yet to arrest the alleged supplier of the drugs, and that Tafirenyika is a flight risk because some of the recovered medicines were allegedly intended for foreign markets. She denies the allegations.

More: NewZimbabwe.com