A Harare magistrate has unconditionally suspended the bail conditions of former Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya, who is facing 11 counts of concealing transactions from a principal, two counts of fraud and 15 others of bribery amounting to US$1 million.
Rushwaya, who is the alleged master - mind behind the Asiagate match-fixing scandal, will no longer have to report to the police.
She also got her passport back permanently after prosecutor Tapiwa Kasema recommended that the court suspend her bail conditions.
Magistrate Ms Anitha Tshuma said the trial would continue on May 24.
Mr Jonathan Samukange of Samukange and Venturas, who is representing Rushwaya, last month gave notice of the defence’s intention to apply for refusal of further remand if the prosecution fails to complete the investigations by Friday.
However, he did not do so at the hearing where his client’s bail conditions were suspended.
The defence is now expected to make an application for refusal of further remand when trial continues next month.
It is expected to argue that Rushwaya, who has business interests in Asia and Europe, is being prejudiced by continuously being put on remand.
The prosecution alleges that Rushwaya connived with former programmes officer Jonathan Musavengana and Asian betting syndicate leader Raja Perumal and unlawfully authorised the national soccer team, the Warriors, and Monomotapa FC to embark on unsanctioned international tours.
It is alleged that they connived to conceal the full nature of transactions to the Zifa board and the Sports and Recreation Commission.
The State alleges that Perumal funded the trips to Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Oman, Jordan, Bulgaria, China, Thailand and Yemen.
Between 2007 and 2009, Rushwaya is said to have engaged match officials, players, technical staff and media personnel in respect of all the 15 international games played and received US$1 million to throw matches.
On the two counts of fraud, Rushwaya is alleged to have arranged matches between the Warriors and the Malaysian national team without the approval of Zifa.
It is also alleged that she intended to defraud Zifa and the SRC when she sent Monomotapa FC to Malaysia where they reportedly masqueraded as the Warriors.
Rushwaya, who is understood to have left for Asia for a series of business meetings soon after the unconditional suspension of her bail conditions and is helping Fifa in their worldwide match-fixing investigations, denies the charges.
- SM
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