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Thupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
Three border officials – a soldier, a police officer, and a security guard – who were on Monday arrested for allegedly corruptly releasing an impounded commercial truck laden with smuggled goods, appeared in court yesterday.
Godfrey Chauka (43) and Miele Lindani Donga (26) both intelligence officers in the police and army respectively, are jointly charged with criminal abuse of public office along with Boniface Manhede (48).
Chauka and Donga are part of the security agencies implementing a National Security Taskforce operation code-named “No to Crossborder Crimes”.
Manhede is employed by a private security company contracted by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) at the border.
The trio, which is being represented by Mr Jabulani Mzinyathi of Garikayi and Partners, were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before Beitbridge magistrate Mr Toyindepi Zhou yesterday.
They were each released on $20 000 bail pending trial on March 31 in the interim.
In addition, they were ordered to report to CID Beitbridge once every two weeks, not to interfere with State witnesses and to reside at their given addresses as part of the bail conditions.
Prosecuting, Mr Tawanda Chigavazira, said charges against the accused persons arose on March 15 at around 11am.
The court heard that on the day in question, a Hyundai truck with South African registration numbers, BT34YN GP, was intercepted by police officers carrying out anti-smuggling duties at a roadblock at Nottingham turn-off along the Beitbridge-Bulawayo road.
Prosecutor said the vehicle was then escorted to ZRP Beitbridge where it was referred to Zimra at the border for further management.
Further allegations are that the vehicle was left in the custody of Manhede inside the border where it was expected to offload the goods pending physical examinations by the Zimra Anti-Smuggling officials. The duo was subsequently arrested, and the police are yet to locate the vehicle and its contraband.
Online Reporter