adminThupeyo Muleya
Beitbridge Bureau
THE Musina Magistrates Court in South Africa has remanded in custody a 28-year-old man who is believed to be the leader of a syndicate behind the smuggling of stolen luxury vehicles into Zimbabwe, usually as a first stage of the journey to markets further north.
Raymond Sibusiso Tshabalala is accused of leading a gang that is stealing vehicles in South Africa and smuggling them into Zimbabwe over or through the Limpopo River and was re-arrested on Friday after having skipped bail in 2019.
The man was re-arrested by South Africa’s special investigations police, the Hawks.
Much of the time the Limpopo has very low surface flows so it is possible to use donkeys to drag cars across the sand and small streams.
In many instances, the vehicles are eventually taken to Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique.
Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo Province Lieutenant-Colonel Matimba Maluleke said yesterday that Tshabalala had been remanded in custody to September 29.
“The matter has been postponed to September 29 and the accused will remain in custody,” he said.
“Allegations are that in the early hours of 9 December 2017, the accused together with his accomplices broke into a Ford Vehicle Dealership in Phalaborwa and stole six vehicles. These included two Ford Everests and four Ford Rangers worth R3 235 000.”
Lt Col Maluleke said the theft was immediately reported to the police and a case was opened and referred to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation for further probe.
He said an intensive investigation was conducted and it resulted in the recovery of five of the six stolen motor vehicles in Masisi area near the Limpopo River on the very same day they were reported stolen.
The vehicles were intercepted while crossing the Limpopo River into Zimbabwe and all the drivers ran away.
Lt-Col Maluleke said through the assistance of law abiding citizens, one of the accused, Tsununu Ahmad Maphosa (36), who is already convicted and sentenced, was arrested in the area while attempting to flee.
“The Hawks continued with the investigation until Raymond Sibusiso Tshabalala was arrested in Gauteng Province on 9 January 2019,” he said.
“Following the initial arrest, the accused was later released on bail, but he never showed up on his next court dates, and subsequently a warrant of arrest was authorised against him.”
Indications are that most of these stolen cars are rental cars in South Africa and are smuggled to Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania via Zimbabwe.
However, several others find their way to the local car sales in Zimbabwe.
Online Reporter