HARARE – A prosecutor based at the Harare Magistrates Court who allegedly tried to get a US$20 000 bribe from convicted gold smuggler Henrietta Rushwaya has been jailed for an effective eight years.
Pardon Dziva who successfully prosecuted Rushwaya for trying to smuggle six kg of gold worth US$330 000 through the Robert Mugabe International Airport will spend the next 8 years in jail while his accomplice Alex Tombe got six years.
In shocking contrast, Rushwaya, the president of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) was convicted by the High Court but escaped imprisonment after being fined US$5 000.
Dziva, was initially sentenced to 10 years imprisonment with two years conditionally suspended.
Tombe also had two years of his prison term conditionally suspended after initially being slapped with an eight-year imprisonment term.
Its alleged Dziva demanded US$20 000 from ZMF chief executive officer Wellington Takavarasha and that the money was to facilitate a lighter sentence for Rushwaya, which ironically she still got.
Takavarasha is said to have told Ruswaya’s sister Helliate, of Dziva’s demands and she reported the matter to the Zimbabwe Republic Police Anti-Corruption Unit and a trap was set for Dziva.
Helliate then agreed to meet Dziva and Tombe at CABS Centre where Tombe approached Helliate and indicated that he had been sent to collect the money by Dziva.
Helliate refused to hand over the money and insisted on handing it over to Dziva. They drove to Kebbab Restaurant in Milton Park where they met Dziva.
Dziva went to Helliate’s car and she handed him the trap money leading to his and Tombe’s subsequent arrest.
