adminTendai Gukutikwa
TWO ZIMRA officials were arraigned before the courts for allegedly demanding and receiving a $1 150 bribe from a local dry cleaning company to cover up for the company’s $6 500 tax arrears. Lloyd Mupfururirwa (43) and Calvin Chikwada (32) were charged with criminal abuse of duty as public officers as defined in Section 174(A) of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, Chapter 9: 23 when they appeared before Mr Langton Mukwengi last week.
Mr Innocent Mandikate of Muvingi and Mugadza Legal Practitioners and Ms Tabitha Mwayera of Mutungura and Partners Legal Practitioners represented the duo while Mr Fletcher Karombe prosecuted.
They are denying the charges.
Allegations were that Mupfururirwa and Chikwada solicited $1 150 from Persuade Goronga and Walter Mbozi, the directors of New Image Dry Cleaners, in order to reduce the company’s tax arrears.
“Mupfururirwa informed the company’s accountant that the company had tax arrears amounting to $6 500. However, after Goronga and Mbozi had queried that the bill was exorbitant, Mupfururirwa and Chikwada informed the directors that they could reduce the figure if they were given $1 300,” said Mr Karombe
The duo was allegedly given $1 150,00 and they slashed the Zimra tax bill to $1 850. Chikwada however, kept demanding the outstanding $150 from Goronga which prompted the latter to file a police report.
On November 18, 2015 a trap was set leading to Chikwada’s arrest. They were granted $200 bail each and the case goes for trial on December 3.
Online Reporter