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Thupeyo Muleya

Beitbridge Bureau

The trial of two Zimbabwe Revenue Authority customs officers deployed to Beitbridge Border Post who were recently arrested for conniving with two other people to facilitate the illegal exportation of 26 trucks of chrome concentrate worth close to US$170 000 has been pushed to August 30.
The two are accused of having committed the offence between November last year and February this year.
Simon Taguta Homera is alleged to have worked in cahoots with Natasha Ruvimbo Chatidza who is still at large.
In the other case, Kudzanai Nyatsawu is accused of having worked with an accomplice known as Phiri who is also still at large to smuggle a truckload of chrome concrete.
Homera and Nyatsawu are set to stand trial before Miss Vavariro Gavi and Mr Takudzwa Gwazemba respectively.
They have been charged with criminal abuse of duty as public officers. Prosecuting, Mr Claudius Karinga and Miss Tinayeishe Matenga said the trucks that were being cleared on behalf of Sharnkar Warjukar were travelling from Mvurwi to Reddy Cargo Services Warehouse, Johannesburg in South Africa.
Instead of checking for compliance with customs documents and booking these trucks, the duo allegedly skipped the process.
In the process, the trucks went through the border without paying US$167 280 in export royalties to the Minerals Marketing Corporation of Zimbabwe.
Investigations revealed that the accused person had used a bill of entry which had been used by Zim Allots to clear its trucks.
In Nyatsawu’s case, the State said on January 5, the accused connived with Phiri to facilitate the smuggling of a truckload of chrome concentrate belonging to Warjukar.
The truck was also travelling from Mvurwi to Reddy Cargo Services Warehouse, Johannesburg.
As a result of their action, the Minerals Marketing Corporation lost US$3 400 in export royalties.
The duo was arrested on Friday after thorough investigations.