This comes as cases of name dropping have been on the rise
in the country with individuals, including some corrupt elements in the security
services, evoking names of Government officials to advance their corrupt
tendencies.
In a statement, First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa dismissed
attempts to link her and her son Collins to Rushwaya and her syndicate who were
busted at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport trying to smuggle 6kg
of gold to Dubai.
The First Lady challenged the police through their relevant
office to issue a statement “with regards the utterances by one officer during
her arrest that falsely implicated” her and Collins.
“As First Lady my duty is first and foremost to Zimbabwe as
a nation. I serve each and every Zimbabwean whole heartedly and selflessly. I
serve the interests of my nation and not any individual. I do not engage in
illegal narrow-minded pursuits like gold smuggling.
“I have no dealings nor involvement with Miss Henrietta
Rushwaya of any illegal kind. I am challenging the police through their
relevant office to issue a statement.
“I am a strong advocate for transparency and honesty and
any continued silence by the police can be misconstrued as a cover up. If there
is any incriminating evidence against me I challenge the police to present it
to the nation without fear or favour. If there be none I also challenge the
police to say so,” she said.
And the police have since established that Gift Karanda
name-dropped when he was arrested along with Rushwaya in order to wriggle
himself and his co-accused out of the gold smuggling case.
In a statement, the Police yesterday confirmed that Karanda
is facing charges of contravening the Criminal Codification and Reform Act
“Defeating or Obstructing the Course of Justice”.
“He is also facing charges of contravening section 3(1)(a)
of the gold Trade Act (Chapter 21;03), dealing in and possession of gold
without being a holder of a licence permit and also contravening section 182
(1) of the Customs and Excise Act (Chapter 23;02), smuggling.
“This relates to the utterances to law enforcement officers
at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport on October 26, 2020, when he
indicated that there was no case as the gold belonged to First Lady Auxillia
Mnangagwa and her son Collins Mnangagwa.
“Comprehensive investigations have proved that the statement
by Gift Karanda was false and malicious with intent to defeat or obstruct the
course of justice.
“As such he was accordingly charged and the case is pending
before the courts,” said police national spokesman Senior Assistant
Commissioner Paul Nyathi.
In her statement, the First Lady, who has won the nation’s
hearts because of her philanthropic works around the country, added that the
continued attempts to besmirch the First Family will not sway her from carrying
on with her programmes.
“I will not be dissuaded from working for those who need my
help in both rural and urban areas. I will also support totally all
anti-corruption activities regardless of the many malicious attacks clearly
designed to cow me from supporting them. I stand firm on my principles.
“It pains me that my son who is hard working and an
obedient son, is being attacked for no reason other than being a member of the
First Family. He is a hard working person and strives to improve himself day by
day. As a mother I am proud of his work ethic and encourage him not be affected
by malicious rumours.
“I am an advocate for peace and love and work hard at
helping those who I can. I am greatly aggravated by the continuation of these
false stories and claims. However, I remain unshaken and will continue to serve
my nation in its entirety to the best of my ability,’’ she said. Herald
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