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FORMER ZBC acting chief executive, Wisdom Hombarume, has escaped a jail term after receiving a wholly suspended sentence for smuggling.
Hombarume was convicted by Harare regional magistrate, Feresi Chakanyuka, after a full trial.
He was handed a six-month suspended sentence for failing to declare a lapel microphone kit and a hard luggage carry case when he arrived in Zimbabwe from South Africa.
The State proved that on February 21, 2020, Hombarume arrived at RGM International Airport from South Africa with a lapel microphone kit and a hard luggage carry case which he had bought.
Instead of declaring the goods, he left the terminal building with the lapel microphone kit worth US$393.31 and a hard luggage carry case worth US$318.59, without paying duty for the equipment.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission seized the goods and referred the matter to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority to assess the value of duty.
Meanwhile, a provincial planning officer at the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works for Mashonaland West Fungai Munyama, who was facing criminal abuse of duty charges, yesterday received a wholly suspended 12-month sentence and a US$600 fine.
Prosecutor Sheila Mupindu proved that Munyama corruptly issued a public notice indicating intention to change the use of the land belonging to Mutare Teachers College from institutional expansion to warehousing and residential use.
He did not notify Mutare Teachers College of the Ministry’s intention to change the land use.
He only notified Mutare City Council and Mutare Probation Hostel and Remand who raised their objections on April 10, 2010.
Munyama also misled his principals that he had followed all procedures to ascertain that the land was not reserved for institutional expansion purposes.
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge