Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Court Correspondent
A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officer has appeared in court for allegedly masterminding a sophisticated smuggling scheme that cost the tax authority over US$1 million in lost revenue.
Tinotenda Mawoyo (34), employed by ZIMRA as a Revenue Officer and stationed at the Plumtree Border Post during the time of the alleged crime, is accused of facilitating fraudulent importation of goods in collaboration with clearing agents and other ZIMRA officials.
He was granted US$200 bail when he appeared before Harare regional magistrate Mrs Marehwanazvo Gofa.
Prosecutor Mr Lancelot Mutsokoti told the court that on January 24, 2024, Mawoyo, working with Innocent Moyo, who was already on remand under CRB PTPP118/26 at Plumtree Magistrate Court, fraudulently generated Baobab Consultancy’s tax clearance certificate in the ZIMRA Tax and Revenue Management System (TARMS).
Moyo was employed by CIM Consultancy, which handled the tax affairs of Baobab Consultancy.
Baobab Consultancy, owned by Phillip Mafurebwe, was not registered for the importation of goods. However, in February 2024, Moyo allegedly issued Baobab Consultancy’s tax clearance certificate to Nyasha Moyo, an employee of Blenny Freight Services (Pvt) Ltd, a clearing agent.
Nyasha Moyo, working with Blessing Kodzawako, a director of Blenny Freight Services, applied to ZIMRA for the registration of Baobab Consultancy as an importer. The registration was approved, enabling Baobab Consultancy to import goods.
After Baobab Consultancy was registered as an importer, Moyo and Kodzawako allegedly facilitated the smuggling of alcohol and other commodities, misrepresenting them as duty-exempt agricultural equipment such as centre pivots, knapsacks and bulk washing powder.
To achieve this, fake invoices were generated in Baobab Consultancy’s name, listing duty-free agricultural equipment.
These invoices were then used to create fraudulent Bills of Entry in the ASYCUDA World System, containing codes for duty-free goods.
The documents were presented to ZIMRA revenue officers at the scanning point for clearance.
The fraudulent documents were also shared with other clearing agents, including Queenlight Investments, Proconnie Investments, Pelican Advisory and Sydow Investments, to generate additional fraudulent Bill of Entry numbers for clearing the smuggled goods.
