News / National
Businessman arrested for evading import duty
25 Aug 2021 at 06:48hrs | Views
THE Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (Zacc) has arrested Harare businessman Trust Chiro for allegedly evading import duty for his five commercial trucks, three of which were intercepted by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) in Waterfalls early this year.
Chiro is a the director of Chirro Investments as well as a South African-registered company, CTME Centre.
The anti-graft body estimates that Chiro shortchanged Zimra by US$388 003.
Chiro appeared in court on Monday for bail application and the court is yet to decide on his application.
In a statement yesterday, Zacc spokesperson John Makamure said the whereabouts of Chiro's two other trucks were still unknown.
Makamure also said Chiro's business partner, Forget Muguza was also still at large.
According to Makamure, sometime in January this year, Chiro "hatched a plan with Muguza, a manager at Enver Freight Services (Pvt) Ltd" to defraud the State "of import duty funds by falsely declaring consignments of groceries they were importing".
Muguza, Makamure added, forged the late Ernest Muswera's signature to fraudulently renew the company bond of Enver Freight Services (Pvt) Ltd held with Zimra.
The two businessmen cleared five trucks at Beitbridge Border Post by falsely understating the quantity of their consignment. They also claimed that their trucks were in transit to Zambia when Harare was their destination.
When Zimra intercepted three of the trucks, it recovered an assortment of groceries which were also allegedly undervalued.
Chiro is a the director of Chirro Investments as well as a South African-registered company, CTME Centre.
The anti-graft body estimates that Chiro shortchanged Zimra by US$388 003.
Chiro appeared in court on Monday for bail application and the court is yet to decide on his application.
In a statement yesterday, Zacc spokesperson John Makamure said the whereabouts of Chiro's two other trucks were still unknown.
Makamure also said Chiro's business partner, Forget Muguza was also still at large.
According to Makamure, sometime in January this year, Chiro "hatched a plan with Muguza, a manager at Enver Freight Services (Pvt) Ltd" to defraud the State "of import duty funds by falsely declaring consignments of groceries they were importing".
Muguza, Makamure added, forged the late Ernest Muswera's signature to fraudulently renew the company bond of Enver Freight Services (Pvt) Ltd held with Zimra.
The two businessmen cleared five trucks at Beitbridge Border Post by falsely understating the quantity of their consignment. They also claimed that their trucks were in transit to Zambia when Harare was their destination.
When Zimra intercepted three of the trucks, it recovered an assortment of groceries which were also allegedly undervalued.
Source - newsday
