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Tendai Rupapa Senior Court Reporter
A commodity broker who allegedly connived with the managing director of Oceane Perfumes to import a vehicle for Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader Prophet Walter Magaya’s wife but evaded paying duty has been arrested.

Cosmas Mushininga is said to have helped Upenyu Prosper Mashangwa (35) to import a Landrover Discovery 2014 model valued at $116 000 for Mrs Tendai Magaya.

According to the State, the vehicle was bought as a gift for Mrs Magaya by Admire Mango, a senior overseer at PHD Ministries for Chitungwiza area.

The duo reportedly misrepresented to ZIMRA officials that the vehicle was a 2004 model bought at an auction and that it had been previously registered by the CMED.

Mushininga (37) yesterday appeared before Mr Tendai Mahwe charged with fraud.

He was remanded to April 30 on $100 bail.

He is being represented by Mr Dumisani Mthombeni.

Mashangwa has since appeared before the same court facing similar charges and is on $300 bail.

Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa assisted by Mrs Idah Maromo alleged that on July 15 last year, Mango decided to acquire a vehicle for Prophet Magaya’s wife.

He sought a car dealer and was referred to Mashangwa by Gilbert Mafusire.

It is the State’s case that Mashangwa was given $80 000 which he said was enough to import the vehicle.

Mashangwa, the court heard, roped in Mushininga and the pair imported the said vehicle.

They were given a further $36 000 for duty and registration by Mango.

Instead of paying the prescribed import duty, the duo misrepresented to ZIMRA that the vehicle was not a recent import stating that Mrs Magaya had bought it on January 24 2009 at a public auction from KM Auctions who sold it on behalf of CMED (Pvt) Ltd in Matabeleland province.

They purported that the vehicle had been previously registered by the CMED and that it was a 2004 model.

Due to the misrepresentation, ZIMRA undervalued the vehicle at $18 000 and the pair was made to pay 5 percent of the amount, which is $900.

The anomalies were discovered by ZIMRA on March 13 this year leading to the seizure of the vehicle and issuance of a notice of seizure to Mrs Magaya.