Conmen steal US$1,400 from Mutodi at border

Former Deputy Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Energy Mutodi was left counting losses at Beitbridge Border Post on Thursday evening when a bogus clearing agent he had engaged stole US$1,400 from him.

The Goromonzi West parliamentarian who was travelling in a South African-registered Hummer had engaged the suspect known as Simbarashe Zinyakati to facilitate a smooth passage through the border.

The police officer commanding Beitbridge district, Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo was not readily available for comment.

However, an official within the Ferret team, which comprises the police and other security agents said Mutodi hired the suspect on the South African border.

"The suspect managed to process the clearance formalities on the South African border and upon reaching Zimbabwe he demanded US$300 to process a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for the foreign registered Hummer, which he failed to do after hitting a brick wall at Zimra. The complainant then demanded back his money which he got back. He later discovered that the suspect had stolen US$1400 from his car when the man had left the border," said the official.

The source said the matter was now under investigation and Zinyakati was yet to be accounted for.