HARARE, Aug. 10 (NewsDay Live) — The legal troubles facing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s daughter-in-law, Kelsea Tadiwa Tafirenyika, deepened after the State alleged she was using two different national identity documents.
Tafirenyika, 22, who is married to Collins Mnangagwa, will remain in custody after Harare magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa reserved judgment on her bail application to Wednesday.
She is jointly charged with Isaac Arab Jessub.
During the bail hearing, the investigating officer told the court that detectives recovered two national identity cards bearing different names but allegedly linked to Tafirenyika.
The State alleges one ID card was in the name of Gertrude Badza, while the other bore the name Kelsea Tadiwa Tafirenyika.
The investigating officer said inquiries with the Civil Registry established that Tafirenyika was her genuine identity, while the name Gertrude Badza did not appear on the registry’s database.
The officer also alleged that police recovered drugs and used syringes from Tafirenyika’s bed during a search of her Greystone Park home.
The bail hearing was also marked by allegations that Tafirenyika and Jessub were assaulted during their arrest.
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Magistrate Gofa ordered that the two undergo medical examinations after they complained of being assaulted by police.
Their lawyer, Malvern Mapako, said the examinations followed allegations that police officers had used excessive force during the arrests.
“The court has ordered that Kelsea Tafirenyika and her co-accused be medically examined after they raised complaints against police officers,” Mapako said.
The defence alleges that the pair were assaulted, forced to surrender their mobile phones and compelled to sign seizure certificates.
The investigating officer denied the allegations.
However, the defence maintained that the accused had been heavily assaulted, prompting the magistrate to clear the courtroom before inspecting areas where the accused claimed to have sustained injuries.
Tafirenyika was arrested after detectives from the CID Drugs and Narcotics unit allegedly recovered pethidine, morphine and cannabis during a raid at her Greystone Park residence on August 4.
Prosecutors allege that police recovered more than 200 ampoules of pethidine and morphine from her bedroom, while five rolls of cannabis were allegedly found concealed inside her Lamborghini.
The State is opposing bail, arguing that investigations are still underway and that detectives are yet to arrest the alleged supplier of the drugs.
Prosecutors also argue that Tafirenyika is a flight risk because some of the recovered medicines were allegedly intended for foreign markets.
Tafirenyika denies the allegations.
