Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
FOUR men, including a truck driver and his assistant, have appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing charges of allegedly smuggling a 30-tonne consignment of clothing and assorted goods into Zimbabwe.
The accused are Maulidi Sultan (56), Mhina Sebastian Mtakwa (53), James Mugumbati (46) and Calton Mutize (42). They appeared before Harare magistrate Mrs Jesse Kufa charged with smuggling.
They were remanded in custody pending bail determination. Sultan and Mtakwa are employed as a driver and driver’s assistant, respectively, by a South African haulage company, Rashid Mwakatobe Logistics.
Mugumbati, a former police officer, is self-employed as a general dealer, while Mutize is a self-employed transporter.
Prosecutor Mr Lawrence Gangarahwe alleged that on July 15, 2026, the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) received intelligence that a South African-registered haulage truck carrying approximately 30 tonnes of smuggled clothing and assorted goods from Tanzania was on its way to the Chitungwiza Industrial Area.
Acting on the information, ZACC officers mounted an operation to intercept the truck before its cargo could be offloaded.
The truck was tracked and intercepted at an industrial stand in Chitungwiza, where it had been parked.
The court heard that Sultan and Mtakwa disembarked from the truck and identified themselves as the driver and driver’s assistant.
ZACC officers introduced themselves and requested details of the truck’s cargo together with the relevant importation and customs clearance documents.
While the officers were making inquiries, Mugumbati allegedly arrived at the scene driving a black Nissan Note, registration number AGP 6616.
It is alleged that Mugumbati falsely identified himself as a serving member of the Zimbabwe Republic Police attached to the Police Intelligence Unit and produced an identity card in support of the claim.
The State alleges that Mugumbati further claimed to be a joint owner of the consignment together with Mutize.
ZACC officers requested importation and customs clearance documents for the goods, but the accused allegedly failed to produce the required paperwork.
Shortly afterwards, Mutize arrived and was introduced by Mugumbati as his business partner and co-owner of the consignment.
The pair allegedly told investigators that they had hired the truck to transport the goods from Tanzania.
The court heard that when pressed to produce customs documentation, the accused allegedly presented documents purportedly stamped at Chirundu Border Post between July 11 and July 14, 2026.
However, investigations allegedly revealed that the documents related to a different consignment comprising 22 tonnes of honey, and not clothing.
As a result, ZACC officers seized the haulage truck and trailer before arresting all four accused.
Mugumbati is also facing another separate charge of impersonating a police officer.
