happiness ChikwanhaZvikomborero Parafini
THE civil servants’ car import rebate exemption scheme is claiming a lot of scalps and, it appears, more are on the way.
The fraudulent culprits also involve ZIMRA officers.
The civil servants rebate fraud is exploding, with an average of three cases appearing in court per week.
A police officer and a car dealer, who allegedly connived to defraud ZIMRA using the scheme, appeared in court yesterday.
They were both charged with fraud.
Patricia Lisa Masia and Tendai Chapfunya appeared before Harare magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa.
Their suspected accomplices, Pardon Makanda and Robert Jakopo, who are employed as technical service officers by ZIMRA, are yet to be arrested.
The Government introduced the civil servants motor vehicle rebate scheme in 2019.
It was meant to allow civil servants, who had served in the civil service for, at least 10 years, to import motor vehicles.
The cars needed to have values, which fall within their employment grades, without paying import duty.
The State said Masia applied for the exemption on February 1 and was allowed to import a car with duty not exceeding US$5 000 on March 29.
She then fraudulently changed the vehicle from a Toyota Auris to a Mercedes-Benz.
The plan was discovered, and the car was impounded at Kariba border post.
Officers noted that the documents produced were fake.
Mathew Masinge
Online Reporter