MUTARE – Anglican Diocese of Manicaland Bishop Eric Ruwona who is facing US$700,000 fraud charges was on Wednesday granted Z$15,000 bail by a Mutare Magistrate.
The matter was remanded to January 29.
Tirivanhu Mutyasira led the State case in a packed Mutare anti-corruption court.
It is alleged that on February 25 2016 Ruwona and his three accomplices, who are still at large, hatched a plan to defraud Anglican Diocese of Manicaland.
It is alleged that Ruwona and his accomplices fraudulently applied for a loan of US$350, 000 from Agribank Mutare branch misrepresenting that they wanted to construct St Catherine’s Girls High school in Rusape and to purchase a vehicle for the bishop.
The court heard that Ruwona offered a piece of land, number 78 Mutare Township as collateral without the knowledge of the church’s standing committee and congregants.
On February 26 2016, Ruwona again fraudulently applied US$100,000 from Agribank using the same modus oparandi.
On a date not given by the court Ruwona took US$250, 000 from Agribank Mutare branch for the Mutare Anglican Diocese of Manicaland without the knowledge of the church’s standing committee and congregants.
Mutare lawyer Passmore Nyakureba represented Ruwona.
Ruwona was arrested by the ZACC crack team when they secretly followed him from Mutare’ second street and ambushed him at the dioceses offices leading to his arrest.
