Court frees Zimra duo charged with criminal abuse of office

A Chiredzi regional court has acquitted two Zimra revenue officers in the sugar cane growing town who were facing criminal abuse of office charges due to a lack of incriminating evidence.

Regional magistrate Mrs Judith Zuyu cleared Talent Rapangwana and Kudakwashe Museva after ruling that there was no evidence the duo had demanded $55 000 from a local company Foregrip Investment Pvt Ltd which wanted to regularise its Value Added Tax(VAT) debt and also help the firm in VAT registration.

Museva,who was represented by Mr Wellington Muzenda of Muzenda and Chitsama was absolved at the close of the state's case owing to lack of evidence while a self actor Rapangwana was freed at the end of a full trial.

In freeing the two,Mrs Zuyu ruled that there was no evidence that the $45 000 deposited by Foregrip Investment in another company New Wox Investments where Rapangwana is a director, was for bribery.

She also noted that there were inconsistencies in evidence testified by Foregrip Director Bonjis Goronga and a Chiredzi Revenue Supervisor Dadirai Gonyora who were two of the four key state witnesses.

In their submissions Museva and Rapangwana had argued that the matter between Foregrip and New Wox was not a criminal but civil matter.

Mr Noel Muranda appeared for the state.