Vehicle clearing agents busted

Five suspected fraudulent vehicle clearing agents who are working in cohorts with corrupt Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials  have been arrested in connection with allegedly cleared 52 cars in Harare using the fake documents.

Although the details are still sketchy, sources said following their arrests, the suspects were found in possession of more than 100 fake clearance certificates. Investigations carried out revealed that the suspects managed to acquire registration number plates for at least 52 vehicles and this was discovered by officials at the Central Vehicle Registry (CVR) last week.

By yesterday, it was still not clear how the suspects managed to obtain the fake documents as investigations are still in progress. It has also emerged that for the past few years, several car dealers in and around Harare had their cars seized by Zimra after it was discovered that most of them had fake documentation.

According to some of the car dealers, the clearing agents are working with some Zimra officials to smuggle the cars into the country and then impound them for auction. Some of the dealers have since taken Zimra to court in a bid to recover their vehicles.

Last week the Zimra board suspended its Commissioner-General Mr Gershem Pasi and five other senior executive managers after questions were raised over the importation of vehicles.

Members of the public are advised to use Zimra hotline to report any irregularities by any Zimra employee. The toll-free hotline numbers are: Econet (0808190); Telecel (0732880880) and WhatsApp (0772 135690).