Harare – 21 May 2025

By Dorrothy Moyo | The Supreme Court of Zimbabwe has upheld the conviction and six-year jail sentence of Alex Tombe, who was found guilty of attempting to solicit a US$20,000 bribe in a high-profile judicial corruption scandal aimed at securing a lighter sentence for convicted gold smuggler Henrietta Rushwaya.

The court confirmed the decision of the High Court, dismissing Tombe’s appeal and reinforcing the judiciary’s stance against corruption. Tombe’s co-accused, former prosecutor Pardon Dziva, is already serving a 10-year sentence for his central role in the bribery scheme.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the scheme was exposed after Progress Maringamoyo, a lawyer still at large, allegedly approached Wellington Takavarasha, a close associate of Rushwaya, claiming that Dziva could influence the outcome of Rushwaya’s sentencing if paid US$20,000.

Rushwaya’s sister, Helliatte, reported the bribery attempt to the Police Anti-Corruption Unit (PACU), which then launched a sting operation. In a carefully coordinated trap, marked bills were prepared and an exchange was arranged at a Kebab restaurant in central Harare. Both Dziva and Tombe were arrested after receiving US$10,000 in marked currency.

While Tombe was not part of the initial negotiation, the Supreme Court found him guilty on the grounds that he knowingly facilitated the handover of the bribe money—an act that directly contravened the law.

This case is one of the most significant rulings to date in the state’s anti-corruption drive and casts a long shadow over Zimbabwe’s judicial system, particularly as it implicates senior legal figures. The fugitive Maringamoyo remains on the run, with authorities urging the public to provide any information on his whereabouts.

The NPA said the ruling sends a clear message: “Judicial corruption will not be tolerated, and every link in the chain of criminal interference will be held accountable.”