Harare- Controversial former Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) Chief Executive Officer, Henrietta Rushwaya was Monday arrested at Robert Mugabe International Airport after she attempted to smuggle six kilograms of gold to Dubai.
Rushwaya who is president of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) was arrested by members of the ZRP Criminal Investigations Department after scanners at the airport detected the gold in her luggage.
She is not new to controversy as she was implicated in the infamous Asiagate scandal during her tenure as ZIFA CEO which saw several footballers suspended from the game over match fixing.
According to a memorandum in our possession detectives identified Rushwaya during check in processes and alerted aviation authorities to examine her bag and they detected gold in one of her hand luggage.
“The detectives identified the accused as she commenced check in processes and immigration formalities. The detectives immediately alerted the Civil Aviation authority of Zimbabwe (CAAZ) scanner operators to thoroughly examine the accused’s bag.
“Gold was detected by the scanner in the accused’s bag which formed part of her hand luggage. The bag was searched in the presence of the accused by CID MFFU detectives whilst other stakeholders at the Airport witnessed the search. A total of approximately 6kg of gold whose value is yet to be determined was recovered stashed in the accused’s personal luggage in her bag,” read the memo
Upon interrogation, Rushwaya is said to have implicated one Ali of Alexandra Park in Harare as the owner of the gold and said was a licenced gold buyer but she could not supply export documents in respect of the gold prompting her arrest.
“The accused was questioned about the origin of the gold and she indicated that she obtained it from one only identified as Ali of number 32 Lanark Road, Alexandra Park, Harare. She indicated that Ali is a licenced gold buyer using the name Ali Japan 786 Private Limited. She alleged that she had been instructed by Ali to leave the gold to an unidentified person at Dubai Airport. The accused was asked to supply export documents in respect of the gold and she failed which led to her arrest,”
The Zimbabwe Republic Police confirmed the arrest of Rushwaya saying investigations are underway.
“The ZRP confirms the arrest of Henrietta Rushwaya at RGM International Airport this afternoon after scanners at the airport checkpoint indicated that there was something in her hand luggage. As a result, searches revealed that the suspect had 6,09kgs of gold which had not been legally and properly cleared with customs and relevant offices for export. This is a suspected smuggling case and Police are now conducting investigations” wrote ZRP on their twitter handle.
She is expected to appear before the Harare Magistrate Court tomorrow.
