The case involving gold dealer David Crosby who was denied bail on Monday took a new twist amid reports he works for a Fidelity Printers licensed gold buyer, the Zim Morning Post has heard.
Crosby was on Monday remanded in custody to November 16 for routine remand with trial scheduled to commence on November 23.
However, investigations by this publication revealed that Crosby is employed by a company, Skorus Investments (PVT) Ltd, which is duly registered as a gold buyer.
Source who spoke to Zim Morning Post said they are shocked to hear that Crosby is said to be an illegal gold dealer.
“David is an employee/manager of a Fidelity licenced gold buyer and therefore cannot be classified as an illegal gold trader,” said the source.
“He was arrested at an address which is duly registered as a gold buying centre. The company that he works for is registered under a licence number ( 00243),” the source said adding: ” You can certify this information with Fidelity.”
Crosby is facing obstruction of justice charges after he allegedly called underfire Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Director Crispen Charumbira to set free one of his sub-agents David Muchenje, who had been nabbed for possessing 1,3 kg of gold in 2019.
It has not only emerged the latter was employed by Skorus – under a process or common practice known by Fidelity – as confirmed by a February 2019 letter to the Mutare police minerals unit, but the British national was merely an office manager also listed on the government-issued license.
“David is himself not a gold dealer, but works for a gold buying company and Muchenje’s story is an interesting one for he is being hounded for selling (bullion) to an officially-licensed company. In those circumstances, would such actions (by the police) not encourage smuggling?” his brother Joseph said in a short statement this week, adding there is no way they would have tried to “influence Charumbira except availing these documents to the authorities, who then probably used their discretion”.
“Crosby would only need CID protection if only he was a smuggler, but Skoru has delivered over five tonnes to Fidelity this year,” he said.
The source also said this year alone Skorus Investment has delivered over five tonnes of gold to Fidelity Printers.
This comes on background of reports that the Special Anti-Corruption Unit (SACU) on Thursday last week arrested Crosby, who is said to be one of the biggest gold dealers in the country.
The arrest comes at a time when the anti-graft crack team has taken its fight against corruption a step up amid intensifying pressure to bring culprits to book.
Last week SACU dragged Charumbira to court on charges of protecting illegal gold dealers including Crosby.
Charumbira appeared before Harare magistrate Vongai Muchuchuti charged with two counts of defeating or obstructing the course of justice and criminal abuse of office by a public officer as defined in Section 174 (1) (a) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act Chapter 9:23.
According to sources who spoke to Zim Morning Post, Crosby is one of Zimbabwe’s biggest gold dealers, pushing at least 30kg of gold every month in Mutare alone.