Mike Chimombe granted ZWL56k (US$91) bail, State did not oppose

Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi has granted ZWL56 000 (US$91 according to the prevailing rate) bail to President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s close ally Mike Chimombe who is facing fraud charges.

Chimombe, the president of the Economic Empowerment Group (EEG) was arrested on Monday over allegations of defrauding a stand buyer of US$16 900.

He is being implicated in a deal that has already seen his two other associates, Steven Chimombe and Hermysh Katsande arrested in July and now awaiting trial over the same issue.

Chimombe, a former Affirmative Action Group (AAG) president, represented by Tapson Dzvetere was arrested at his Borrowdale Brooke house in Harare.

The three are accused of selling a Tynwald residential stand to Brian Marungamise, although the land belonged to someone else.

It is alleged that Marungamise paid US$16 900 to the trio, but when he wanted to develop the property, someone came and claimed ownership of the land.

The State further claimed that Marungamise was then allocated another stand in the same area, but once again another person claimed ownership of that same land.

In a bid to give Marungamise a stand worth what he had paid, the accused allegedly allocated him another residential stand in Waterfalls before it was again claimed by another person.

As a result, Marungamise ended up making a police report at Harare Central Police Station leading to the arrest of Steven Chimombe and Katsande two months ago.

But after further investigations, police decided to arrest Mike Chimombe.

Accordingly, magistrate Mangosi has granted Mike Chimombe bail and ordered him to reside at his given address.