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Nokutenda Chiyangwa and Anesu Madiye
A licences clerk at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce appeared in court on Friday facing charges of criminal abuse of office after she allegedly illegally faked dates on expired import licences.
The complainant is the ministry being represented by the chief economist in the department of enterprise and development, Mr Bernard Manatsa.
Luscious Chari (32) appeared before Harare magistrate Ms Rumbidzai Mugwagwa and was ordered to pay $100 bail, and remanded to October 24.
Prosecuting, Ms Ropafadzo Botsch alleged that on January 18, Lafarge Cement (Pvt) Limited was granted authority to import 50 000 tonnes of cement.
It was issued with two separate import licence numbers, both expiring on August 29 and September 30 respectively.
Sometime in August, Lafarge asked its agent, Freight World (Pvt) Limited ,to renew both licences as they were about to expire.
On August 10, Chari who allegedly corruptly and unprocedurally endorsed new expiry dates on the licences while aware that the licences were non-renewable.
On September 13, Freight World unknowingly produced the altered licences at Forbes Border Post in a bid to clear cement on behalf of Lafarge.
An alert Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) official noticed the irregularity on the licence and the crime was reported to police.
Peter Tanyanyiwa
Online Reporter