It’s been another tough weekend for Neville Mutsvangwa, the son of Zimbabwe’s political power couple, after he failed to secure bail and forced to spend more time in remand prison.
The 35-year-old, son of ZANU-PF spokesperson Christopher Mutsvangwa and Women’s Affairs Minister Monica Mutsvangwa, is facing a slew of criminal charges related to alleged illegal foreign currency dealings and possession of an unlicensed Starlink router.
On Wednesday, Mutsvangwa’s hopes for freedom were dashed when the High Court reserved judgment on his appeal against the earlier denial of bail by a lower court magistrate. Justice Esther Muremba heard arguments from Mutsvangwa’s lawyer, Josphine Sande, who argued that the prosecution had no real case against her client.
But the state remained adamant, opposing bail on the grounds that the charges, including money laundering, were of a serious nature. Magistrate Denis Mangosi had previously denied bail, citing concerns that Mutsvangwa was a flight risk with his “connections” and ability to “sustain a livelihood outside the country.”
The younger Mutsvangwa’s legal troubles began when police raided his upscale Mount Pleasant home in Harare, encountering resistance at first. After cutting through his electric fence and scaling his gate, officers ultimately found Mutsvangwa hiding between a precast wall and sacks of waste.
With the High Court’s judgment now delayed until next week, Neville Mutsvangwa and his two co-accused, Elias Majachani and Simbarashe Tichingana, will have to continue their unwanted stay in remand prison. The fate of the politically-connected scion now hangs in the balance as the judicial process grinds on.
