Zimbabwe: Mnangagwa Daughter-in-Law Granted U.S.$5,000 Bail in U.S.$10m Money Laundering Case
President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s daughter-in-law, Kelsea Tafirenyika, has been granted US$5,000 bail by the High Court after successfully appealing against a magistrate’s decision to keep her in custody over money laundering allegations.
High Court judge Justice Vivian Ndlovu also ordered her to report twice a week to the police until her matter is finalised.
Tafirenyika, the second wife of Mnangagwa’s twin son Collins Mnangagwa, was arrested over allegations that she acquired properties worth nearly US$10 million using proceeds from drug dealing.
She was arrested for the second time just as she walked out of prison, where she was being held over the drug dealing case.
She is also facing allegations of possessing a forged identity document bearing the name Getrude Badza but carrying her photograph.
Her successful High Court appeal overturns a decision by Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo, who had previously denied her bail, citing the risk that she could flee the country.
Mapfumo had described Tafirenyika as financially “liquid” and said she could afford to live anywhere in the world if released.
The magistrate also pointed to the alleged forged documents and Tafirenyika’s reported property interests outside Zimbabwe as factors supporting continued detention.
Mapfumo said the existence of properties in South Africa and Dubai strengthened the State’s argument that she posed a flight risk.
The State had alleged that Tafirenyika was involved in drug dealing and had accumulated several properties using proceeds from the illicit trade.
The properties, valued at close to US$10 million, were presented by prosecutors as alleged proceeds of crime.
The court also heard that she had more than 13 properties in South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.
Tafirenyika, who is represented by Admire Rubaya, Everson Chatambudza and Malvern Mapako, however, denied the allegations and told the magistrates’ court that most of the properties were gifts from her husband.
Recently, Tafirenyika also wrote to First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa apologising for the controversy surrounding her arrest and allegations, while claiming that the case was being driven by detractors of the First Family.
She further alleged that police officers were being used by the First Family’s detractors.
By New Zimbabwe.
