Man parts with $250 for smuggling

Letwin Mubonesi
SMUGGLING 24 bales of second hand clothes into the country from Mozambique through an undesignated entry point earned an informal trader a fine of $250 last week. Tafadzwa Masvosva was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Mr Langton Mukwengi. It was the State’s case led by Mr Fletcher Karombe that on February 10 at Zengani Village under Chief Mutasa in Penhalonga, Masvosva was found in possession of 22 sealed bales of second hand clothes and two bales of second hand shoes which he had smuggled from Mozambique.

Mr Karombe said: “Masvosva was found in possession of 24 bales of second hand clothes loaded in his Toyota vehicle in Penhalonga without proper documents allowing him to do so.

“Police detectives received a tip from a reliable source regarding the smuggle second hand goods into the country from Mozambique using the Zengeni route in Penhalonga. “The detectives teamed up and proceeded to the area where they laid an ambush along the road which leads to the border. The detectives noticed some vehicles including Masvosva’s vehicle proceeding to the illegal loading bay and intercepted them on their way back,” said Mr Karombe.

He said after the vehicle had been waved to stop by the police detectives, Masvosva did not comply with the instructions, resulting in the throwing of spikes on the road by the detectives.

Masvosva stopped after tyres were deflated by the spikes leading to his arrest. The value of the items amounted to $19 200. Asked to explain why he had acted in that manner, Masvosva told the court that it was a way of making a living.

“I was trying to earn a living Your Worship. Things are tough at home,” said Masvosva. Mr Mukwengi later warned him to find legal ways of earning a living rather than resort to illegal ways.

He ordered him to pay a fine of $250 or serve an alternative six months behind bars. “Crime does not pay. Smuggling is a serious offence. You have to desist from that bad behaviour. You will have to find legal means of putting food on the table for your family, not doing it the illegal way,” said Mr Mukwengi.