Land developer Felix Munyaradzi who is facing charges of interfering with a witness among other charges, was yesterday denied bail with Harare provincial magistrate Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro saying he had failed to convince the court that he will not interfere with any witnesses.
Mrs Guwuriro, in her bail ruling, said the State’s fears
were not far-fetched and that Munyaradzi had failed to make an undertaking that
he will not interfere with the witness and that these fears could not be
curtailed by imposing stringent bail conditions.
“State fears that he is likely to interfere cannot be said
to be far-fetched. There is a prior attempt to interfere with one of the
witnesses, Shadreck Homela. Accused did not show that he will not interfere
once freed on bail and the possibility of interfering remains real.”
Mrs Guwuriro remanded Munyaradzi in custody to April 7.
The State led by Mis Audrey Chogumaira had opposed his bail
application, expressing fears that Munyaradzi might interfere with witnesses
since he has shown propensity to do so. “This is a case wherein accused has
breached bail conditions and chances of interference are high. There are two
outstanding statements that need to be recorded including from those sent by
accused and the witness who was approached,” she said.
Munyaradzi, through lawyer Mr Nickiel Mushangwe, had
submitted that he was a proper candidate for bail as the charges were an
off-shoot from his main charge and the present matter should have been treated
as an enquiry into the breach of bail conditions, not a fresh charge.
During the hearing Mr Mushangwe accused Assistant
Commissioner Erasmus Makodza of causing Munyaradzi’s arrest after allegedly
cooking the allegations against him. He said his client, out on bail since
August 18 last year, had obeyed the bail condition of not interfering with
witnesses.
He said there was personal animosity between Munyaradzi and
the assistant commissioner, and between Munyaradzi and Homela since Homela owes
Munyaradzi money. Herald
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