Nguwaya bail ruling reserved

Herald Reporter

The High Court has reserved judgment in the case in which Delish Nguwaya is contesting the decision of the magistrates’ court to deny him bail on charges of misrepresenting to Government that his company was a medical firm in an attempt to be awarded tenders for Covid-19 medical supplies using his companies Drax SAGL and Drax International.

He was denied bail by Harare magistrate Ms Vongai Muchuchuti, who ruled that he was a flight risk considering the seriousness of the alleged offence which invariably attracts a lengthy custodial sentence in the event of a conviction.

Aggrieved by the trial court’s decision, Nguwaya approached the High Court on appeal.  His appeal was heard yesterday by Justice Pisirayi Kwenda, who reserved his ruling for Monday.

In denying him bail, the magistrate noted that the fraud case had attracted public uproar and the nation pins hope on the justice delivery system.

Charges against Nguwaya arose after he allegedly misrepresented that Drax was based in Switzerland, but it was only a consulting company with no experience in the manufacturing of drugs.

Acting on this misrepresentation, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Obadiah Moyo authorised a US$2 million medicine supply deal through NatPharm. Nguwaya allegedly did the same using Drax International and won a supply deal worth US$40 million, the court heard. The matter allegedly came to light after a notable variance on prices charged by the companies to those prevailing on the market.