Zimbabwe: Mnangagwa's Daughter-in-Law Tells Court Fake ID Could Be AI-Made As Bail Proceedings Drag On

President Emmerson Mnangagwa's daughter-in-law, Kelsea Tafirenyika, will remain in custody this weekend, with her fate to be determined on September 1 following her lawyers' bail submissions. Her legal team has introduced an intriguing new aspect to the case - they argue that the identity document claiming to be in Gertrude Baeza's name could have been created using artificial intelligence.

Tafirenyika appeared before Magistrate Francis Mapfumo, who is being represented by Admire Rubaya, Everson Chatambudza, Malvern Mapako and Kangai.

The fake ID has led to Tafirenyika facing an additional charge under the Civil Registry Act. The State, however, opposes bail, with investigating officer Gift Machipisa arguing that she poses a flight risk due to her extensive assets outside Zimbabwe. Machipisa detailed that Tafirenyika owns more than 13 properties abroad, primarily in South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, and stated that authorities are collaborating with Interpol to recover the assets.

The investigator also claimed that Tafirenyika could leave the country, confident that her local properties could be seized by the State. Tafirenyika is accused of acquiring properties worth approximately US$9 million through earnings from alleged drug trafficking, a claim she denies.

In her bail application, Tafirenyika maintained that the properties identified by police were gifts from her husband, Collins Takunda Mnangagwa, attributing his business success as the means to "spoil" her. She also told police that her arrest was politically motivated by detractors of the First Family and was not linked to drug possession. Tafirenyika was re-arrested on Thursday just days after being released from remand prison over the money-laundering allegations.