Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya
A 28-YEAR-OLD Beitbridge clearing agent accused of swindling a civil servant of US$15,700 in a dodgy car import deal will stay out of the dock a little longer as his trial has been pushed to August 7 after his lawyers requested more time to review the evidence.
Evans Nzara of Khwalu 1 suburb is accused of running a slick vehicle import scam, promising a Harare-based civil servant a 2014 Toyota Hilux from South Africa, but delivering a bogus 2010 model and vanishing with the cash.
Nzara is one of several suspected bogus clearing agents operating along the Beitbridge corridor who lure desperate car buyers with promises of cheap deals from South Africa, only to disappear with the money or deliver dodgy paperwork.
The court heard that Nzara was on the run since May last year, hiding across the Limpopo until detectives trapped and arrested him in January this year. Despite being busted, the US$15 700 is still missing.
According to the State, led by Olivia Chimutinya, Nzara convinced Hamufare Mugauri, a government employee, to hire him to import a Toyota Hilux. Nzara claimed the car cost US$10 700 and instructed Mugauri to deposit funds into a CABS account allegedly belonging to his company.
Mugauri paid US$10 200, with another US$700 sent via EcoCash. But instead of following proper import procedures, Nzara allegedly manipulated the Temporary Import Permit (TIP) system to sneak the car in. It turned out to be a 2010 model, not the promised 2014.
The Hilux had not been deregistered in South Africa as agreed, and when Mugauri questioned it, Nzara claimed he needed an extra US$4 800 to sort out registration and import duty. Mugauri paid again.
Nzara later sent a customs receipt as proof, but it turned out to be fake. The car was impounded by Harare police for having no registration plates, and investigations revealed the vehicle had not paid import duty, the registration certificate was forged, and the TIP was also fake.
As Mugauri pressed for answers, Nzara became evasive and eventually vanished. He was only caught after detectives set up a sting operation.
With the trial stalled again and the money unrecovered, authorities are warning motorists to be vigilant and avoid bogus car importers who promise deals that are too good to be true.
