Chronicle Editor
Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau
A 40-YEAR-OLD Zimbabwean man has been jailed for an effective 15 years for illegally dealing with explosives in South Africa.
Luckmore Harunashe was sentenced to direct imprisonment at the Musina Regional Court on Friday after having been arrested in September last year.
The man was arrested by the neighbouring country’s specialised police unit, the Hawks and has been languishing in remand prison since then.
Hawks spokesperson, Captain Matimba Maluleke confirmed the developments.
“On 23 September 2022, the Beitbridge Police Task Team received information about a blue Toyota Condor that was transporting the explosives on the N1 road between Musina and Makhado,” he said.
“The task team members immediately reacted and the suspicious vehicle with two occupants was spotted, stopped and searched.
“Upon searching the vehicle, the police found commercial explosives including 247x Blasting Cartridges, 1250 Connector Capped Fuse and 7 Detonating Fuse valued at R70 000,00”.
The senior police officer said Harunashe and the driver, Zorodzai Ignatius Mukonzamariro (31) were then arrested.
Their case was transferred to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation for further handling. Captain Maluleke said the accused were denied bail until they were convicted and sentenced.
“During their trial, the court heard that Harunashe hired a vehicle driven by Mukonzamariro to transport his explosives from Zimbabwe to South Africa without a permit,” he said.
“Apart from the 15 years’ direct imprisonment that was imposed on Harunashe, he was also sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for entering South Africa without a valid passport or pay R20 000 fine”.
Captain Maluleke said Mukonzamariro was only sentenced to six months’ imprisonment or pay R20 000- fine for entering South Africa without a valid passport.
The smuggling of explosives between Zimbabwe and South Africa is rife and border authorities from both countries have arrested more than 10 people for similar offences in the last six months.
It is understood that the explosives are being used mainly by syndicates involved in illegal mining activities in Gauteng and Free State provinces. — @tupeyo
Online Reporter