RELIEF FOR EDDIE KEBAB IN VEHICLE SMUGGLING CASE

Zvikomborero Parafini

PROMINENT businessman Edmore Zviitwah, commonly known as Eddie Kebab, is now off the hook in a fraud case in which he was being accused of smuggling a vehicle into the country.

The Legends of Kebab director’s application for refusal of further remand was granted by the court.

Regional magistrate Marewanazvo Gofa removed Kebab, and his brother Philemon, from remand after the State failed to provide a trial date in time.

The duo had been on remand for slightly over a year.

Magistrate Gofa ordered the State to proceed by way of summons when their investigations are complete and after they have put their house in order.

It is the State’s case that sometime during the period between 2019 and 2020, the brothers connived to smuggle a Toyota Quantum into the country.

The State claimed they tampered with the vehicle’s chassis and engine numbers.

On January 11 2020, the State claimed Kebab, in a bid to blur the trace, proceeded to Joseph Tendai Musakwa, who is a car breaker at Gazaland Shopping Centre, in Highfield.

The State claimed the businessman bought a body of a Toyota Hiace with the registration number ADC 9451, chassis number KDH200-0043491 and registered it in the name of Benedictor Kanosvamhira.

Philemon Zviitwah signed the Agreement of Sale.

Equipped with the registration book, Philemon proceeded to the Central Vehicle Registry where he misrepresented the actual facts and applied for change of vehicle number plates in respect of ADC 9451.

Philemon was issued with a new vehicle registration book under certificate number C0001072483 and registration number plates AFG 0224.

The court heard that Philemon later on affixed the number plates, AFG 0224, on the smuggled Toyota Quantum.

On the second count, the court heard that between 2017 and 2018, the brothers smuggled a Hyundai van into the country.

In an effort to conceal the illicit deal, they affixed the vehicle with a set of registration number plates, AFE 6334, which belongs to the Office of the President and Cabinet.