High Court judge
Justice Sylvia Chirawu-Mugomba has frozen the bank account of car dealer Farai
Chiwashira following an application by the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)
which is seeking answers on how the businessman got the US$298 441 which was
deposited and withdrawn from his account.
The ex-parte chamber application was filed by head of the
specialised unit known as the Asset Forfeiture Unit (AFU), Chris Mutangadura
after formulating an opinion that an unexplained wealth order together with an
interim freezing order be sought against Chiwashira.
In his affidavit, Mutangadura said during the scope and
course of his employment, he handled Chiwashira’s crime docket whose
information involved investigation into suspicious transactions around his bank
account.
“Information in the docket reveals that the said bank
account received some substantial amount of money exceeding the statutory
threshold of US$10 000, thereby justifying the granting of the order sought by
this honourable court,” he said.
“The total amount of money transacted by the first
respondent (Chiwashira) between March 12, 2018 and December 7, 2018 is US$298
441, 70. It is suspected that the money deposited into the first respondent’s
account and taken out is proceeds of some illegal activities most likely
foreign currency exchange known as parallel/black market dealing.”
In her determination, Justice Chirawu-Mugomba ruled in
favour of the NPA and issued an order directing Chiwashira to give a statement
to the police within 30 days from the date of the court order, being May 7,
2019.
“The first respondent be and is hereby directed to give a
statement to the head of CID Commercial Crimes Division’s Asset Forfeiture Unit
at Morris Depot within 30 days from the date of this order,” she said.
“The statement referred in paragraph (1) of the terms of
this order relates to the disclosure by the first respondent of the nature and
extent of his interest and how his bank account number 11016018571 with MBCA
Limited Msasa Branch in Harare received a total deposits and transfers
amounting to US$298 441, 70.”
The judge further said Chiwashira must explain “as to the
nature of the transactions he engaged including production of all relevant
documents/records related to the movement of the said money which was deposited
into and withdrawn from his bank account…” Newsday
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