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Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
Border security officials have arrested three men who were masquerading as Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) officials and tried to open an illegal office within the port of entry.

Bernard Mateyo (36) of Kadoma, Langton Madzore (29) and Taurai Zindoga (29), both of Chitungwiza were arrested on Christmas Day, while attempting to search a cross-border bus near the arrivals exit gate.

They have since been dragged to court charged with impersonating a public official and denied bail twice by Beitbridge Magistrate Ms Varaidzo Gabi.

She remanded them in custody to January 11 in the interim.

Prosecutor Ms Elizabeth Vengedza told the court that on December 24, the trio hatched a plan to impersonate ZACC members and drove to Beitbridge in an SE Vintage Sprinter.

On Christmas Day, at around 2pm, they then set up their own “check point” near the arrivals exit gate, where they started recording details of all vehicles that were exiting.

They were then spotted by border security officials who approached them after they had stopped a bus that was travelling to Harare.

Upon enquiries, the trio identified themselves as anti-corruption officials and produced some identification cards purportedly from ZACC.

Verifications were done and it was discovered that the documents were fake, resulting in their arrest.

There has been an increase in bogus characters at the Beitbridge Border Post pretending to offer a number of services on behalf of Government agencies.

Last week, a 37-year-old man believed to be part of a syndicate using fake date stamps to clear goods and travellers at Beitbridge Border Post, was arrested and fined $30 000.

Brian Zaranyika of 689 Baobab in the Beitbridge low-density suburbs, was busted by border security after opening his office near the Port Health section.

The man was found with four fake Zimra date stamps and several others for Port Health.