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TWO Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officers stationed at Beitbridge border post, who allegedly illegally detained a truckload of liquor that had been legally cleared, yesterday had their application for discharge dismissed for lacking merit.
Obert Tafadzwa Charamba, 35, a loss control officer and Stephen Masimuke, 50, a supervisor allegedly detained a truck belonging to Turkey Trading of Bulawayo between December 23 last year and January 14 this year.
The two who are being jointly charged for criminal abuse of office, denied being on the wrong side of the law and applied for discharge at the close of the state case when they appeared before magistrate Innocent Bepura.
The magistrate dismissed their freedom bid and the matter has since been set for defence on September 10.
Charamba is being represented by Reason Mutimba of Masawi and Partners while Marshal Chatsanga of Mangwana and Associates is appearing for Masimuke.
The two are out of custody on $200 bail each.
Prosecuting, Foster Abheki told the court that on December 23 last year, Turkey Trading Pvt (Ltd) of Bulawayo imported a consignment of liquor from South Africa through Beitbridge Border Post.
The company then enlisted the services of ASB Freight as their clearing agent to facilitate the legal importation, which was done at Zimra Beitbridge under bill of entry number C93285.
The truck was then released by a Zimra official to leave the border but Charamba and Masimuke later intercepted it and sent it to the container depot for further physical examination which was done the following day and no anomalies were detected.
Charamba and Masimuke continued to detain the truck without giving any reasons.
The truck and the cargo remained lodged at the depot until January 14 prompting the owners to report the matter to the police.
They also appealed to the High Court which ordered the truck’s unconditional release.
Investigations established that Charamba and Masimuke did not issue any legal documentation, notice of seizure and duty schedule, as proof that the truck and the cargo were being detained legally at the container depot.
Under normal customs procedures, an importer is issued with a notice of seizure accompanied by a duty schedule in cases where they will have smuggled or underpaid excise or customs duty.
Further investigations revealed that the consignment was never entered into the Zimra books as having been detained and the two were subsequently arrested.
Online Reporter