President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s daughter-in-law Kelsea Tafirenyika will spend the weekend in custody and only know her fate on September 1, after her lawyers completed submissions for bail.
Tafirenyika’s lawyers raised a fresh twist in the case, arguing that the identity document she allegedly possessed in the name of Gertrude Baeza could have been manufactured using artificial intelligence.
She appeared before Magistrate Francis Mapfumo, represented by Admire Rubaya, Everson Chatambudza, Malvern Mapako and Kangai.
The alleged fake ID has resulted in Tafirenyika facing a separate charge under the Civil Registry Act.
The State, however, opposed bail, with investigating officer Gift Machipisa describing Tafirenyika as a flight risk because of her alleged extensive assets outside Zimbabwe.
Machipisa told the court that Tafirenyika had more than 13 properties outside the country, mainly in South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, and said authorities were engaging Interpol to assist in recovering the assets.
The investigator argued that Tafirenyika could flee Zimbabwe knowing that the properties she owns locally could be forfeited to the State.
Tafirenyika is accused of acquiring properties worth about US$9 million through proceeds of alleged drug dealings, charges she denies.
In her bail application, she maintained that the properties identified by police were gifts from her husband, Collins Takunda Mnangagwa, saying his business interests gave him the means to “spoil” her.
She also told police that her arrest was being driven by detractors of the First Family and was not connected to drug possession.
Tafirenyika was re-arrested on Thursday shortly after being released from remand prison over the money-laundering allegations.
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