Online Reporter
THE High Court has ordered the forfeiture of a US$85 000 Ford Ranger Raptor to the State after ruling that the luxury vehicle is tainted property tied to smuggling.
In a judgment delivered early this month, Justice Benjamin Chikowero granted the State’s application for civil forfeiture brought by the Prosecutor-General.
The case involved respondents Matthew Musengezi, Tsitsi Chirimumimba, Mafusire Lovemore Kudzanai and the Registrar of Motor Vehicles.
According to court filings submitted by ZACC investigator Rennie Malemelo, the luxury vehicle — currently registered under the name of first respondent, Tsitsi Chirimumimba — was a tainted proceed of crime.
Two other men — Matthew Musengezi (second respondent) and car dealer Lovemore Kudzanai Mafusire (third respondent) — were implicated in the scheme and are liable to criminal charges under Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act and money laundering under Section 8(2) of the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act.
Investigators uncovered a sophisticated scheme in which Musengezi reportedly used Chirimumimba’s personal details without her knowledge to import only a vehicle chassis through the Beitbridge Border Post in August 2023.
Duty was paid solely on the bare chassis rather than a fully assembled motor vehicle.
Musengezi then allegedly misrepresented to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) that the vehicle had been locally “rebuilt” using a separately purchased engine and accessories. This deception reportedly prejudiced Zimra of US$20 000 in unpaid customs duty.
Armed with clearance certificates from the falsified rebuild, Musengezi handed the paperwork to car dealer Mafusire to facilitate registration with the Central Vehicle Registry (CVR).
Once registered in Chirimumimba’s name, Mafusire allegedly forged an agreement of sale between himself and the registered owner, placing the vehicle up for sale at a local car sale on behalf of Musengezi.
However, ZACC investigations revealed that Chirimumimba is currently employed as a domestic worker in South Africa and is financially unable to purchase a high-end vehicle. Investigators confirmed she never bought the Ford Ranger, never entered into any sale agreement and has never registered a vehicle in her name.
The vehicle was recovered by ZACC operatives at the car sale on April 14, 2024.
Subsequent inspections by the Automobile Association of Zimbabwe (AAZ) on August 27, 2024 exposed the “rebuild” narrative as a fabrication.
The assessment revealed that the vehicle’s body and chassis were unified by factory machine welding, bolts and rubber rather than any local post-importation reconstruction.
Under Justice Chikowero’s order, the Ford Ranger Raptor — bearing chassis number 6FPPXXMJ2PLG06685 and registration number AGE 5418 — is officially forfeited to the State.
The court directed that the second respondent must register the transfer of the vehicle to the State within seven working days, failure of which would result in the Sheriff of the High Court or his deputy stepping in to execute the transfer.
The court issued no order as to costs.
