By Staff Reporter
ZIMBABWE Miners Federation President Henrietta Rushwaya has been slapped with a non custodial sentence following gold smuggling conviction.
Rushwaya was convicted for trying to smuggle 6kg of gold worth more than US$333 000 to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, three years ago.
Rushwaya who denied the smuggling charge, claiming she mistakenly picked up the wrong bag at home, one containing gold bars rather than the one she meant to take on her trip, was convicted of the crime two weeks ago after Justice Pisirayi Kwenda found her guilty, dismissing her defence of a “wrong bag” as implausible.
She was ordered to pay a US$5000 fine failure of which she will spend 12 months in jail.
In addition, the court slapped Rushwaya with 18 months’ imprisonment wholly suspended for three years on condition she does not commit a similar offence during the same period.
