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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
Police detectives from the border control and minerals unit have arrested a 35-year-old customs clearing agent here on charges of transit fraud after he duped Zimra of $38 000 in excise duty for 30 tonnes of washing powder.

Admire Chikowe of 825 Impala Street had falsely represented to Zimra that the washing powder was in transit from South Africa to Mozambique via Zimbabwe.

After the truck was allowed into the country under the Removal in Transit, Chikowe offloaded the washing powder in Harare at the National Railways.

Chikowe pleaded not guilty to fraud charges when he appeared before Beitbridge resident magistrate Miss Gloria Takundwa yesterday who remanded him to June 23 on $500 bail pending trial.

She also ordered him to report once on Fridays at Beitbridge Police Station and not to interfere with State witnesses as part of the bail conditions.

Prosecuting, Mr Pernson Chekeya told the court that on April 27, the accused received invoices of 30 tonnes of washing powder from one Ashllen Chibatamoto and his business partner Biggie Tauzen so that he could organise transport and facilitate the customs clearance of the goods.

He said Chikowe then made arrangements that the consignment be carried by a South African truck registration BX69NM GP with trailers BXNG GP and BX69 NX GP.

The court further heard that on 1 May, the truck entered the country from South Africa through Beitbridge border post and the accused e-mailed false transit documents of the truck’s consignment to one Fungai Majuru a registered clearing agent at Cowdenbeath Clearing Company so he could facilitate the clearance of the consignment.

Majuru then used the documents to register entry of the truck as removal in transit to Mozambique unaware that the documents were dubious.

Mr Chekeya said upon completion of the customs formalities, Chikowe then called Chibatamoto to deposit $6 800 into his Barclays Bank account and $1 500 on his Eco-cash account so that he could clear the goods.

He said the truck was later released from the border on May 7 and proceeded to Harare instead of Mozambique according to the clearance papers.

The goods were offloaded at the National Railways in Harare on the following day.

The issue came to light when Majuru made a follow up at Forbes Border Post in Mutare where the trucks were suppose to pass through en route to Mozambique.

It emerged that the truck had not left Zimbabwe in the stipulated three days and he made a report to the police resulting in Chikowe’s arrest.

The prosecutor said the state was prejudiced of $37 918.19 on customs duty.