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Fungai Jachi Court Reporter
A truck driver found in possession of 523 boxes of Broncleer cough syrup and 16 boxes of Diphenhydramine (DPH) cough syrup worth over $79 000 was last week granted $500 bail.

Perkins Masvikepi (37), who is employed as a truck driver by a South African based company Blue Transport, appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe.

Masvikepi is charged with contravening the Medicines and Allied Substances Control Act.

Mr Mahwe remanded him to July 21. As part of his bail conditions Masvikepi was ordered to surrender his passport and to report twice every week at CID drugs.

Masvikepi is represented by Mr Admire Rubaya of Rubaya and Chatambudza law firm.

Prosecutor Mr Sebastian Mutizirwa alleged that on June 26 Masvikepi with his accomplice only identified as Phiri and two other unidentified people connived to smuggle unregistered medicines in the country.

The court heard that there were 523x50x100ml boxes of Broncleer cough syrup and 16x50x200ml of DPH cough syrup.

It is alleged that the unregistered medicines were loaded into a Volvo truck registration number WTG274GP and Masvikepi was the driver of the truck.

The State alleged the medicines were smuggled through Beitbridge Boarder Post and Masvikepi drove the truck to White Horse Truck-stop along Simon Mazorodze Road.

The court heard that detectives got an anonymous call informing them about the medicines in the truck.

It is the State’s case that the detectives responded by carrying out a search and found the unregistered medicines.

Masvikepi was then arrested.