Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) president Henrietta Rushwaya has been granted US$500 bail.
She was arrested on Tuesday, accused of fraud after she allegedly swindled an Indian Investor in a mining deal.
Rushwaya is expected back in court on April 10 for her routine appearance pending her trial.
The complainant in the matter is one Ashok Jain who is Chairman of NV Group of Companies located in New Delhi, India.
NV is one of India’s largest distillers of grain alcohol.
According to court papers, Jain was introduced to Rushwaya by Asif Adil on April 2 2021.
Rushwaya allegedly promised to assist the businessman to secure business opportunities in Zimbabwe, majoring in distribution of liquor, establishing a distillery and setting up of an ethanol plant.
It is alleged that Rushwaya later called Jain and told him that she wanted US$35 000 to initiate the process.
“O4 October 2021, Dr Ashok Jain met Rushwaya in New Delhi, India where she was given the US$35 000, “the court was told.
On another day during the same month Rushwaya invited Jain and his son Varun Jain to Zimbabwe on the pretext of a business meeting.
During that visit, Rushwaya allegedly informed Jain that she had a gold mine in Mashonaland Central which she could sell to him.
She then allegedly took Jain and his son to Umpfurudzi in Mashonaland Central.
While there, she showed them the alleged mine which she claimed was rich in gold ore and was on 420 hectares.
It is alleged Rushways offered the mine to Dr Jain for US$350 000 knowing very well that the special grant had expired on 2 May 2021.
“On 26 December 2021, Rushwaya demanded payment for the first installment of US$175 000 for the purchase of the alleged Umpfurudzi gold mine through Rushwaya’s representative only known as Richard,” reads court papers.
“On different dates between 10 January 2022 and May 2022, Rushwaya misrepresented to the complainant that she was preparing for mining to resume, and she was paid various amounts of money totaling US$615 000 by the complainant, when in actual fact she was doing no such process.
“On 12 May 2022, she further demanded the second installment of US$175 000 for the purchase of the alleged Umpfurudzi gold mine and the money was deposited into CBZ Account 26160480020 of which US$3 000 was transferred into Henrietta Rushwaya’s CBZ Harare, Zimbabwe account number and the remainder US$172 000 was deposited into Relm Mining Syndicate Pvt. Ltd.’s account,” the court heard.
It is alleged that Rushwaya presented a fraudulent geologist’s survey report concluding that Umpfurudzi mine had no gold deposits as much as she had said earlier.
It is alleged this was done with an intention to lure the complainant to consider being offered a different mine in Shangani.
Through the continued misrepresentation the complainant was defrauded a total of US$1 000 000 in cash.
Lancelot Mutsokoti prosecuted.
Rushwaya was represented by her lawyer, Oliver Marwa.–
