Tashinga Masinire was arrested at OR Tambo International Airport on Saturday afternoon. (OJ Koloti/Gallo Images)
Zimbabwe Miners Federation head has distanced herself and the organisation from an ex-driver arrested in South Africa for alleged gold smuggling.
Tashinga Masinire was arrested after he was found with 23 pieces of gold in his luggage.
He is due back in court in July.
Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya has distanced herself from her former driver who was recently arrested at OR Tambo International Airport for allegedly smuggling gold. For the record, [he] stopped working for the Zimbabwe Miners Federation as a driver in August 2020, and for people now to be seen or wanting to associate him with Zimbabwe Miners Federation or myself, in particular, is a bit unfortunate.
US$780k gold smuggler linked to Rushwaya
BY MOSES MATENGA
ZIMBABWE’S lax security at ports of entry and airports has come under spotlight again after Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) president Henrietta Rushwaya’s ex-aide was arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa while attempting to smuggle gold worth over US$780 000.
The suspect, Tashinga Nyasha Masinire (33), was yesterday granted R100 000 bail coupled with stringent reporting conditions by a Kempton Park regional magistrate in Gauteng province.
He was ordered to surrender his passport, not to leave South Africa before the finalisation of the matter and to report at the nearest police station three times a week.
Man nabbed allegedly trying to smuggle gold worth R11m into SA from Zimbabwe, out on R100K bail
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Pretoria – Tashinga Nyasha Masimire, the 33-year-old man arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle 23 pieces of gold worth R11 million into South Africa from Zimbabwe, was granted R100 000 bail on Monday.
National spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Lieutenant-Colonel Philani Nkwalase said Masimire’s release on bail came with strict conditions.
“The alleged smuggler appeared this morning and the matter was postponed to the 1st of July. The suspect was granted R100 000 bail with stringent conditions,” Nkwalase told African News Agency in Pretoria.
TimesLIVE/Staff Reporter
A Zimbabwean man (33) suspect is expected to appear in the Kempton Park regional court Monday after being arrested at the OR Tambo International Airport in South Africa with 23 pieces of gold worth an estimated R11m in his luggage.
The Hawks Serious Organised Crime Investigation team made the arrest on Saturday, after the man, who was travelling from Zimbabwe, was requested to scan his luggage at the SA Revenue Service’s custom section at international arrivals, police said in a statement.
“He allegedly failed to declare any items and did not have any permits or licences to be in possession or transport gold and the Hawks were called to effect the arrest and conduct further investigation.”
Tishinga Nyasha Masinire
THE Zimbabwean arrested at OT Tambo International Airport in South Africa with 23 pieces of gold priced at R11 million ($783 000) is Zimbabwe Miners Federation President Henrietta Rushwaya’s aide and driver, The Zimbabwe Mail can reveal.
Tashinga Nyasha Masimire, the 33-year-old man arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle 23 pieces of gold worth R11 million into South Africa from Zimbabwe, was granted R100 000 bail on Monday.
National spokesperson for the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation (Hawks) Lieutenant-Colonel Philani Nkwalase said Masimire’s release on bail came with strict conditions.
“The alleged smuggler appeared this morning and the matter was postponed to the 1st of July. The suspect was granted R100 000 bail with stringent conditions,” Nkwalase told African News Agency in Pretoria.