A HARARE magistrate yesterday denied bail to controversial businessman and Intratrek Private Limited director Wicknell Chivayo, who stands accused of defrauding Zimbabwe Power Company of over $5 million, money-laundering and violating exchange control regulations, saying he was a flight risk.
BY DESMOND CHINGARANDE
Magistrate Elisha Singano said Chivayo was a globetrotter and might flee the country to evade prosecution.
“The accused person attempted to flee the country well knowing that the police were looking for him. The accused never tried to surrender himself to the police despite the knowledge that the police were looking for him,” he said.
“The release of the accused person will undermine the proper administration of justice and it is the court’s view that the strength of the State case’s likely penalty and seriousness of the offence and risk of abscondment is very high. He has been to every corner of the world he has contacts everywhere, so are his international connections.
“Accused to be remanded to August 17 as per the State’s requests and his trial is August 27, 28 and 29, it is the court’s considered view that those who are facing the charges must wait for justice and not to try to flee from the jurisdiction,” Singano further said.
The matter was remanded to August 17, pending trial.
