Seven suspected illegal foreign currency dealers, who are engaging in illegal forex trading and money laundering, are expected back in court today for their bail ruling.
The seven
Brenda Chirinda, Chipo Josephine Changwende, Tinashe Kativhu, Caleb Kativhu,
Washington Kativhu, Wisdom Chitawa and Tapiwa Gombe, were not asked to plead
when they appeared before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa.
Prosecutors
alleged that detectives from Asset Forfeiture Unit received information that
Chirinda, Changwende and their accomplices were operating an informal transfer
facility and illegally dealing in currency at corner Albion and Mbuya Nehanda
street.
They were all
placed on surveillance for two months.
It is alleged
that different people would be seen engaging in high volume transfers
exchanging cash with the gang on a daily basis.
They were seen
operating from a Honda Vezel registration number AGX 1509 maroon in colour,
which they also used to store hordes of cash and point of sale machines and
bank credit cards.
They allegedly
used the vehicle as a getaway car such that whenever law enforcement agents
approached, they would speed off.
The court heard
that on September 2,
Detectives from
CID Asset Forfeiture, who were deployed on operation “Silent Wire” and acting
on the information, raided the gang and managed to apprehend them.
They were taken
together with their car and the police allegedly recovered cash amounting to
US$371 353, several point-of-sale machines, debit cards and cellphones.
The State
claimed the gang converted or transferred property which they acquired through
unlawfully dealing in currency or knowing, believing or suspecting that it is
proceeds of crime and for the purpose of concealing or disguising the illicit
origin of such property. H Metro
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