Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka
Court Correspondent
A director of a local logistics company appeared in court on Wednesday, accused of defrauding the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) of ZiG$165 000.
Musa Phiri (48), the director of Coast to Coast Import and Logistics (Pvt) Ltd, was charged with fraud when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa.
He was granted US$500 bail.
The complainant in the case is ZIMRA, represented by its loss control officer, Mr Crispen Mavengano.
According to the State, ZIMRA introduced the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) to streamline the clearance process for imported and exported goods.
Within this system, the revenue authority created prepayment accounts to facilitate the payment of taxes by clearing agents.
Each approved clearing agent was issued a unique business partner (BP) number to separate and account for taxes in both Zimbabwean dollars and foreign currency.
Under normal procedures, clearing agents calculate the duty owed on behalf of clients, who then deposit the required amount into ZIMRA’s official BancABC account.
The money is credited to the agent’s prepayment account, which is then used to clear goods.
The State alleges that in August 2025, Phiri devised a scheme to defraud ZIMRA by manipulating the prepayment account of another company, Seeorder Investments (Pvt) Ltd.
On August 27, 2025, Seeorder Investments’ client, Bonito Ceramics, deposited ZiG$45 565 into ZIMRA’s BancABC account under receipt number R79080.
Working with accomplices, including a fugitive named Kevin Motsi and ZIMRA system administrators Nancy Marongwe and Paradzai Mutasa, already on remand, Phiri allegedly altered the deposited amount in the system from ZiG45 565 to ZiG210 565.
This falsified figure was then presented to ZIMRA as the amount deposited, enabling Phiri to access and misuse the money.
On the same day, Phiri, acting in collusion with Motsi, used ZiG173 578,18 from the inflated amount to pay duty for Mewe Apex Investments (Pvt) Ltd’s consignment.
The State further alleges that Phiri accessed Seeorder Investments’ prepayment account without the consent of its director, Mr Edmund Machingura.
As a result of Phiri’s alleged actions, ZIMRA cleared goods worth ZiG165 000 to its detriment.
Nothing has been recovered.
