KARIBA — RIDA clerk Ignitious Chiome has been granted US$500 bail in the case in which he is facing charges of culpable homicide, as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the Mbuya Nehanda ferry disaster continue.
Kariba Resident Magistrate Edward Verengai granted Chiome bail on Friday, on condition that he surrender any travel documents in his possession, remain at his registered Kariba address, and report to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) every Friday.
A verification check at the Kariba Registry Office, however, established that Chiome does not currently hold a valid passport.
His lawyer, Samuel Muyemeki, welcomed the granting of bail but stressed that the matter remains far from concluded.
Muyemeki said the legal position could change as investigations progress, including the possibility of the charge being withdrawn or the investigation extending to other individuals and institutions.
“The accused has been granted bail, which is a fair decision in my opinion,” Muyemeki told journalists.
Chiome was remanded to 4 September 2026, on which date he will appear at the Karoi Regional Court.
