Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
AN engineering firm, Hilmax Engineering (Pvt) Ltd, and its management, has been dragged to court charged with fraud involving over 10 million, through tax evasion.
The firm was represented in court by its finance director, Patrick Musavaya, who appeared on his behalf as well.
He is being co-charged together with the firm’s operations director Rugare Murwira. The two appeared before regional magistrate, Marewanazvo Gofa, who granted them US$500 bail each.
In the first count, the court heard that the duo connived on January 13, 2021, and made an application, through Stanbic Bank, for a total of R2 781 750. They claimed they wanted to buy stock from Interflex Holdings in South Africa.
A payment of R2 781 750 was made to Interflex Holdings.
The duo allegedly misrepresented that they had imported goods from South Africa, through Beitbridge Border Post, in a bid to justify the payment made. Investigations carried out revealed that the duo did not import anything from South Africa for the payment made and they also allegedly forged a Bill of Entry, and a release order, in order to justify the funds.
They used a Bill of Entry number (C19658) dated March 25, 2021, which was previously used by Leisure Life Styles (Pvt) Ltd, when it imported screws, bolts and nuts from South Africa through the Beitbridge Border Post.
The court also heard that the duo and their company also made another application, through Stanbic Bank, for a total of R1 870 073.35, between January and April 2021, to buy stock from The Hydraulic Centre in South Africa.
A payment of R1 870 073.35 was made to Hydraulic Centre, through its First Rand Bank account.
The duo allegedly misrepresented that they had imported goods from South Africa to Zimbabwe.
Investigations indicated that the two, in a bid to justify the payment, forged a Bill of Entry and a release order.
They used a Bill of Entry number (C26786) dated April 22, 2021, which was assigned to Breastplate Services when it purchased tyre polish sheen ex from South Africa.
The court heard that on seven occasions the duo used the same modus and in total they failed to justify transactions worth R10 755 880.01.
Anesu Chirenje prosecuted.
Mathew Masinge