Zimbabwean in gold-smuggling case 'picked wrong bag'

The suspect in a high profile gold-smuggling case in Zimbabwe has said, through her lawyer, that she picked the wrong bag from her house as she left for the airport, according to the state-run Herald newspaper.

Henrietta Rushwaya - the suspended president of the Zimbabwe Miners Federation (ZMF) - said she picked a bag that had gold instead of one packed with her clothes.

Her lawyer outlined her position during her bail application after she was arrested carrying 6kg of gold in her hand luggage at the Harare International Airport on her way to Dubai.

Through her lawyer, Ms Rushwaya told the court that her arrest was being used to drag the first family's name into illegal dealings, the Herald reported.

Zimbabwe's First Lady, Auxillia Mnangagwa, has denied links to gold smuggling and challenged police to produce "any incriminating evidence" against her.

Mrs Mnangagwa also absolved her son from links to gold smuggling.

Ms Rushwaya has been charged along with business tycoon Ali Muhamad, state security agents Stephen Tserai and Raphios Mufandauya, and miner Gift Karanda.

All the accused have denied wrongdoing.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

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