Zimbabwe: Ex-minister Goche freed on $50,000 bail

By Robert Tapfumaneyi

Former cabinet minister Nicholas Goche, who is facing stock theft charges, was Thursday granted $50 000 bail by a Bindura magistrate Tendai Chifamba.

This follows his arrest Wednesday.

The ex-transport minister will be back in court on 21 October.

As part of his bail conditions, Goche was ordered to surrender his passport, report every Friday at Shamva Police Station and continue residing at his Shamva farm which he gave as his permanent residence.

Goche was ordered not interfere with witnesses.

The complainant in the matter is a farmer Honest Mupanedengu (43) of Mufakose, Harare.

It is alleged that on 13 November 2018, Goche sold 40 beasts to Mupanedengu and the payment for the cattle was made through a bank transfer into a CABS account number 1036879593.

Mupanedengu collected only 22 heifers out of the 40, leaving behind 18 beasts.

Sometime in 2019, Goche is said to have disposed of the 18 heifers without the complainant's knowledge, the court heard.

Mupanedengu approached Goche on several occasions to collect his 18 beasts but was dismissed and further told the animals had already been sold.

Meanwhile, former information minister Jonathan Moyo begs to differ with reasons for Goche's arrest.

"What? Something fishy. It is an open secret in Zanu PF corridors that Mnangagwa has unfinished business with Goche. Details of the case would be interesting to unpack," he said via twitter.

This article originally appeared on New Zimbabwe

Photo: New Zimbabwe