In a startling development related to the legal proceedings of the Henrietta Rushwaya case, Harare public prosecutor Pardon Dziva has been arrested on charges of bribery. The prosecutor is accused of soliciting a substantial bribe, amounting to a staggering US$20,000, with the alleged intention of influencing the outcome of Rushwaya’s sentencing.
The scheme reportedly involved manipulating the sentencing to secure a lighter punishment for Henrietta Rushwaya under the guise of exerting influence over the presiding judge, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda.
According to reports from Nehando Radio, the intricate plan unfolded with Dziva presenting himself as a conduit to Justice Kwenda, asserting that he could influence a favorable ruling at the High Court. The complaint leading to Dziva’s arrest originated from Helliate Rushwaya, Henrietta’s younger sister and a former board member at the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC).
The sequence of events leading to Dziva’s arrest began when Wellington Takavarasha, an intermediary, informed Fungai Mangizvo, an associate of Henrietta Rushwaya, about a proposal to manipulate the sentencing.
A carefully orchestrated trap was set in motion as negotiations for the bribe unfolded. Takavarasha, along with another individual, Progress Maringamoyo, allegedly facilitated the connection between Dziva and the Rushwaya camp. Dziva is said to have demanded a substantial US$30,000 to influence the case, eventually settling for US$20,000.
The trap was sprung when Dziva, in collaboration with Alexio Tombe, attempted to claim the promised bribe at the CABS Centre in Harare. The informant, having raised only half of the demanded sum, presented US$10,000 to Dziva, leading to his prompt arrest by the Anti-Corruption Unit of the CID Police.
Now in custody pending a bail application, both Dziva and Tombe are facing charges of soliciting bribes and attempting to manipulate the course of justice. The recovered trap money and a detailed account of the attempted transaction are expected to serve as crucial evidence in court.
Meanwhile, Henrietta Rushwaya, the central figure in the case, recently received what some perceived as a favorable sentence. She was fined US$5000 and given a wholly suspended sentence of 18 months in prison for attempting to smuggle 6kgs of gold to Dubai.
