PRESIDENT Emmerson Mnangagwa’s top aid Douglas Tapfuma, who
briefly served as Director of State Residences, is battling for freedom and
will on Tuesday approach the High Court seeking to be released on bail.
Tapfuma, arrested by Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission
(Zacc) on allegations of corruption for allegedly using his office to import
over 100 cars duty free under the pretext that they belonged to the Office of
the President, was denied bail on Thursday last week.
His lawyer Valentine Mutatu has since written to the
Magistrates’ Court seeking access to a typed transcript of the court
proceedings for use in the High Court application.
“We have been instructed to appeal against the judgment of
the honourable court. To that extent, we are kindly asking for the urgent
transcription of the record. We want to take this opportunity to thank you in
advance in anticipation of your urgent assistance,” wrote Mutatu.
Mutatu said his client, now director of policy implementation,
was innocent and should be allowed to enjoy the presumption of innocent until
proven guilty by a competent court of law.
Tapfuma, a Zanu PF central committee member, served as
principal director in the Office of the Vice-President, when Mnangagwa was
still VP.
Tapfuma is the second high profile person to be arrested
after Tourism minister Priscah Mupfumira was arrested over allegations of
siphoning US$95,6 million from the National Social Security Authority (Nssa).
Zacc chairperson Loice Matanda-Moyo has said more arrests
will be coming on the back of the Nssa report tabled in Parliament on Friday. Newsday
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