Man Sentenced To 6 Months In Prison For Smuggling 4 Vehicles Through Beitbridge Border Post
A Mutambara man has been sentenced to spend six months in prison after he was convicted of smuggling four vehicles into the country through the Beitbridge Border Post.
However, the six months were suspended for two years on the condition of good behaviour.
Robson Mutambara of Makotamo Village under Chief Mutambara’s area was last week on Thursday convicted of smuggling as defined in Section 182 of the Customs and Excise Act, Chapter 23:04, by Mutare provincial magistrate, Mr Langton Carter.
Mutambara, who was represented by Mr Passmore Nyakureba of Maunga, Maanda Legal Practitioners, pleaded not guilty.
Manica Post reports that Mutambara will have to pay a fine of $250 000 by September 30, 2022, or risk imprisonment.
State’s case by Mr Nyasha Mukonyora:
1). In May 2016, Mutambara smuggled a Ford Ranger truck from South Africa through Beitbridge Border Post. Added
2). In April 2018, Mutambara smuggled a Nissan Hardbody double cab.
3). In May 2018, he also smuggled another Nissan Hardbody double cab.
4). In 2019, he smuggled another Ford Ranger truck through Beitbridge Border Post.
Mukonyora added that the four vehicles were sold to Messrs Steven Jeyacheya, Lloyd Marange, Godwin Choga and Gwatara Barnabas.
The vehicles were recovered by the police on July 9 2021 from the people that had bought them.
Mutambara said he is an agent who buys and sells vehicles from South African dealers. He said he thought the deals were legit since he had no trouble in bringing the vehicles into the country.
Mutambara’s lawyer argued that the State did not suffer any loss since one of the vehicles was cleared by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), while the other three vehicles are currently undergoing clearance with the tax authority.
