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Beitbridge Bureau

Three members of the National Security Taskforce deployed to curb crime along the border in Beitbridge have been arrested over a R6 500 bribe they allegedly took from a motorist.

It is alleged that the driver was travelling from South Africa to Harare and the three said his temporary import permit processed by two men claiming to be clearing agents was fake.  The three reportedly took the bribe in two instalments, R2 500 within the border post and another R4 000 at a house in Beitbridge town.

Tyron Makaya (31), a detective constable from ZRP Victoria Falls, Trust Mirirayi (45), a detective sergeant from Chitungwiza, and Munyaradzi Mupesa were not asked to plead to charges of criminal abuse of office when they appeared before Beitbridge Resident Magistrate Mr Takudzwa Gwazemba last week.

They were each remanded to May 7 on $15 000 bail.

Appearing for the State, Beitbridge area prosecutor Ms Tinayeishe Matenga said on April 7 this year, Mr Martin Severini arrived at Beitbridge from South Africa driving a foreign-registered Toyota Lexus registered in his name.

While at the border post, he was approached by two unknown men purporting to be clearing agents who offered to process the border formalities for him, charging him R13 500 to process the temporary import permit. But the two men issued him with fake customs documents and told him to proceed with his journey.

Mr Severini then set off, but was stopped at the exit gate to the border post by the three who wanted to check on compliance issues.

When they discovered Mr Severini was in possession of fake customs documents they demanded a bribe threatening to impound the vehicle.

For fear of losing his vehicle, the motorist offered them R2 500, but they insisted on R6 500, resulting in the man calling his relatives in Beitbridge for a top-up of R4 000.

Arrangements were then made for the three to collect the balance at a suburb in the border town. The following day, he told his brother about the incident who then reported the matter to the police.

Investigations were then carried out including checks on the deployment register which showed that the three were the ones involved in the case.

The accused persons were positively identified by Mr Severini and they were subsequently arrested.

The incident comes a few weeks when 17 other members of the same task force were arrested for taking an R2 000 bribe from a cross-border bus, at a security checkpoint between Beitbridge border post and Chicago village along the Beitbridge to Masvingo highway.