Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
SIX men, including two Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officials and a company director, were on Wednesday denied bail in a case involving the smuggling of T-shirts worth US$78 000.
The magistrate ruled that compelling reasons justified their pre-trial detention.
The six are Jethro Mavangwa (41), the director of Jeed Investments (Pvt) Ltd, director of Rufaro Nenyasha Private Voluntary Organisation, Peter Ndamba (61), a clearing agent with Secure Freight Pvt Ltd, Norest Chiureki Marara (51), Brian Simbachako (35) and Alford Toruvanda (37), both Zimra revenue officers, and Tony Chisuse (31), a truck driver.
The prosecution, led by Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti, outlined that in October 2024, Mavangwa imported 1 066 cartons of cotton T-shirts from Slovenia, falsely declaring them as agricultural equipment, allegedly to evade taxes.
The shipment was originally sealed in Slovenia and routed through Beira, Mozambique, before arriving in Zimbabwe in February 2025.
Mavangwa allegedly conspired with his accomplices to create fake invoices and documents, misrepresenting the origin of T-shirts.
He changed the consignee on the bill of landing to mislead customs authorities. Zimra officials Simbachako and Toruvanda cleared the shipment without proper inspection.
The container was released and transported to Bramfield Farm resulting in a loss of approximately US$78 880 to the Zimra.
The consignment is yet to be recovered.
Best Gadzikwa Mawonera, another suspect, is also awaiting his bail hearing.
