News / National
Car dealer imports vehicle using forged papers
04 Jul 2023 at 11:18hrs | Views
A 27-year-old car dealer has appeared in court on allegations of forging papers to import a motor vehicle.
Timukudzei Nhongo was facing fraud charges when he appeared before Harare Magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi.
The matter was remanded to September 5 pending investigations.
It is alleged that sometime in February 2023, Nhongo approached Tebhinas Kaseke a civil servant employed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care to assist him to import a vehicle through the civil servant vehicle import rebate facility.
Kaseke agreed to assist Nhongo and who then paid for the vehicle a Toyota Corolla Axio Chassis Number NRE1607007700 and Engine Number 1NR8340002 and at the same time Kaseke applied for a rebate of duty on a motor vehicle imported by serving public servants.
The court heard that Kaseke's application was declined on the basis that the value of the vehicle she had applied for was way above her value allowable for rebate. Upon rejection of the application for rebate, Kaseke informed Nhongo of the developments and they agreed to cease importing the vehicle in question together.
It is the State's case that Nhongo then went on to process a fake rebate letter using Kaseke's details without her knowledge and approval.
Sometime in April 2023, Nhongo went on to use the fake documents in the name of Kaseke to import the car through Chirundu Border Post purporting that the vehicle was being imported by a public servant yet in actual fact he was the beneficial owner of the vehicle.
On April 14 2023 Nhongo registered the vehicle with Central Vehicle Registry using Kaseke's details.
The court heard that Nhongo went on to sell the vehicle to Charles Chimutsanya contrary to the provision of vehicle import rebate which states that any vehicle imported under the scheme cannot be sold within five years of importation.
It is alleged that Nhongo through the use of a fake ZIMRA rebate letter misrepresented to ZIMRA during the importation of the vehicle leading to ZIMRA's prejudice of duty payable on the vehicle imported.
As a result of the misrepresentation ZIMRA suffered a prejudice through an unpaid import duty for the motor vehicle and the value is yet to be ascertained.
Timukudzei Nhongo was facing fraud charges when he appeared before Harare Magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi.
The matter was remanded to September 5 pending investigations.
It is alleged that sometime in February 2023, Nhongo approached Tebhinas Kaseke a civil servant employed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care to assist him to import a vehicle through the civil servant vehicle import rebate facility.
Kaseke agreed to assist Nhongo and who then paid for the vehicle a Toyota Corolla Axio Chassis Number NRE1607007700 and Engine Number 1NR8340002 and at the same time Kaseke applied for a rebate of duty on a motor vehicle imported by serving public servants.
The court heard that Kaseke's application was declined on the basis that the value of the vehicle she had applied for was way above her value allowable for rebate. Upon rejection of the application for rebate, Kaseke informed Nhongo of the developments and they agreed to cease importing the vehicle in question together.
Sometime in April 2023, Nhongo went on to use the fake documents in the name of Kaseke to import the car through Chirundu Border Post purporting that the vehicle was being imported by a public servant yet in actual fact he was the beneficial owner of the vehicle.
On April 14 2023 Nhongo registered the vehicle with Central Vehicle Registry using Kaseke's details.
The court heard that Nhongo went on to sell the vehicle to Charles Chimutsanya contrary to the provision of vehicle import rebate which states that any vehicle imported under the scheme cannot be sold within five years of importation.
It is alleged that Nhongo through the use of a fake ZIMRA rebate letter misrepresented to ZIMRA during the importation of the vehicle leading to ZIMRA's prejudice of duty payable on the vehicle imported.
As a result of the misrepresentation ZIMRA suffered a prejudice through an unpaid import duty for the motor vehicle and the value is yet to be ascertained.
Source - The Herald
