Car smugglers’ trial postponed

from South Africa into the country through an illegal crossing point along the Limpopo River.
The seven were arrested in and around the border town in an operation dubbed Ibvani Madini (Get out of the Waters).
The on-going operation involves the police border control, dog section and CID units. 
The suspects are: Aboo Bennelo Jussabi (31), Lee Shas Ajiba (29), Joe Khalid Kazembe (34), Collins Musa (35), Jali Mwsifa (32), Mohammed Idrus Laudon (28), Juma Afiki (34) and Abdu Khasim Juma Charles Moyo (26), all from Malawi.
Matabeleland South regional magistrate, Mr Joseph Mabeza is presiding over the matter.
The suspects are all being charged with theft of a motor vehicle and also contravening a section of the Customs and Excise Act (Smuggling).
They were remanded in custody and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.   Police recovered one of the vehicles following a shootout with the suspect near Bubi Village along the Beitbridge-Masvingo Road.
The smuggled vehicles included two Toyota Fortuners, one Nissan Navara, Toyota Raider, a Toyota Vigo, Toyota Hilux and a Toyota Corolla.
South African police have confirmed that four cars have been stolen from Durban, while another Fortuner was stolen in Limpopo Province.
Zimbabwean police have also engaged Interpol to conduct investigations over the vehicles market in Malawi.
Charges are that the cars would be driven across Zimbabwe using fake registration books, vehicle identification documents, fake temporary import permits and ignition keys.
It is understood that the suspects had been working in cahoots with employees of various vehicle tracking companies in South Africa.
They would quickly dismantle the tracking devices soon after stealing the cars.
The State also alleges the gang would drive them into Zimbabwe through an illegal entry point along the Limpopo River near Panda Mine area.
From Zimbabwe they would drive through another illegal entry point between Zimbabwe and Mozambique before proceeding to Malawi. The first car, a Toyota Fortuner, was recovered last Wednesday in the middle of the Limpopo River at an illegal crossing point near Dumba area.
Musa, Mustafa and Laudon were spotted by the police driving the car on their way into Zimbabwe en-route to Malawi.
The trio tried to drive back upon realising it had been ambushed, but got stuck in the sand and was arrested.
The stolen car was recovered.