Chronicle Editor
Langelihle Nyathi, [email protected]
THE High Court of Zimbabwe, sitting in Harare, has handed down a 20-year prison sentence to Tinashe Sibanda and ordered the confiscation of assets belonging to Centenary Tobacco Company (Pvt) Ltd after convicting them of fraud.
Sibanda was found guilty of forging documents to illegally import 4,47 million litres of duty-free diesel between October 2022 and February 2023, resulting in a staggering US$2,8 million revenue loss to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA).
According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Sibanda misrepresented to CMED (Pvt) Ltd that his company had Government authorisation to import duty-free fuel for agricultural purposes. He allegedly presented fake letters from the Ministry of Agriculture and ZIMRA, enabling his company to evade duty payments.
The scam unravelled in January 2023 when ZIMRA discovered the documents were forged and demanded payment from CMED. Following a trial, Sibanda was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with five years suspended on condition of good behaviour, leaving him with an effective 15-year jail term.
In addition to the prison sentence, Centenary Tobacco Company (Pvt) Ltd has been ordered to pay ZIMRA USD 2.1 million. The Sheriff of the High Court has been directed to promptly seize company property to recover the funds.
The NPA emphasised its commitment to combating crime and corruption, saying the case serves as a stern warning to those engaging in fraudulent activities. The authority reiterated its zero-tolerance stance on corruption, urging the public to report suspicious activities to relevant authorities.
Online Reporter