The Arrested Zimbabwe Health Minister Offers To Pay Bail With Box Full Of Notes As The Country Struggles With Cash

Onlookers at a court in Zimbabwe were left in shock, after arrested Minister Of Health and Child Care, Obadiah Moyo, allegedly produced a box full of cash to post his $50 000 bail.

This comes in the midst of the ongoing cash crisis in the country, with many Zimbabweans standing in long queues, just to withdraw a maximum of $1 000 a week.

Some have resorted to buying cash at a higher price from mobile money platforms.

In a practical situation, one has to come to the bank 50 consecutive weeks, in order to raise the $50 000 cash notes, which Obadiah Moyo forked out for his bail in one go.

Obadiah Moyo was arrested last week on corruption charges, after awarding a tender of US$60 million to Drax International for the supply of Covid-19 test kits and equipment.

Moyo’s latest cash shenanigans confirm the general suspicion, that only senior government officials and those in the upper power echelons have unlimited access to cash.

For a while, government officials have been accused of fraternizing with the banking system to fuel the thriving black market in which local currency is used to exchange with the US dollars from ordinary citizens.

Many Zimbabweans are having to rely on their relatives outside the country, to send remittances in order to sustain their livelihoods.

Obadiah Moyo was also given the option to post his bail using his ATM card, which he then did instead of using the cash.

His aides had to carry back the box full of cash to his luxury vehicle, which together with others, had accompanied him to court.