HARARE, Aug. 13 (NewsDay Live) — President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s daughter-in-law Kelsea Tafirenyika and her uncle Isaac Jessub have been denied bail after a Harare magistrate ruled that they were flight risks and posed a danger to society.
Harare regional magistrate Marehwanazvo Gofa said there were no bail conditions that could adequately prevent the pair from absconding or allegedly committing further offences.
“The applicants have nothing to lose and can abscond trial,” Gofa said, noting that Jessub said he had no travel documents while Tafirenyika allegedly possessed another identity document.
The magistrate said there was prima facie evidence that Tafirenyika used an identity document bearing the name Getrude Bandza, which further heightened concerns that she could evade prosecution.
Gofa also dismissed the accused persons’ claims that their alleged detractors had planted the drugs on them.
She said Jessub was the first to be arrested and allegedly led police to Tafirenyika, adding that police could not have known in advance that she was allegedly in possession of the drugs.
“The society should be protected by keeping the accused persons locked,” Gofa said.
The matter was postponed to Aug. 27 to allow for further investigations.
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The State, represented by Lancelot Mutsokoti, alleges that Jessub was involved in the sale of dangerous drugs and kept drugs in a Mercedes-Benz vehicle.
The court heard that on Aug. 4, police received information that Jessub was dealing in drugs and placed him under surveillance.
Investigating officer Nivert Charuma told the court that officers observed Jessub sitting in the driver’s seat of a Mercedes-Benz and repackaging ampoules into two envelopes.
Police approached him, identified themselves and told him they intended to search him for dangerous drugs.
Charuma said Jessub consented to the search, during which police allegedly recovered 13 ampoules of morphine and five ampoules of pethidine.
Officers also allegedly recovered empty boxes for morphine and pethidine, as well as two 100ml bottles of Broncleer from beneath the driver’s seat.
According to the State, questioning Jessub about the source of the drugs led investigators to Tafirenyika, who is his niece.
Police subsequently raided Tafirenyika’s Greystone Park home, where they allegedly recovered pethidine, morphine and cannabis.
The prosecution alleges that detectives found Tafirenyika seated on her bed counting ampoules and placing them on the bed when they entered her bedroom at about 8pm.
Police allegedly recovered eight ampoules of Fresenius Pethidine, 10 ampoules of Verpat Pethidine and seven 1ml ampoules of Fresenius Morphine Sulphate from her.
A further search allegedly uncovered 72 ampoules of Verpat Pethidine, 64 Fresenius Pethidine ampoules and 43 ampoules of Morphine Sulphate in bedroom drawers.
Five rolls of dagga were also allegedly found concealed in the driver’s armrest of her white Lamborghini.
The State said the drugs seized as exhibits were valued at US$204.
Prosecutors further alleged that some of the pethidine recovered was intended for foreign markets, suggesting Tafirenyika had foreign links she could use to evade prosecution.
Jessub is alleged to have sold the drugs at Sam Levy Village in Borrowdale.
The allegations have not been tested in court, and the accused persons are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
