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ZIMRA officials busted in US$1 million smuggling scam, remanded in court
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PLUMTREE – Two Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) officials have been dragged to court over a massive US$1 million smuggling racket, in which alcohol was allegedly cleared as agricultural equipment at Plumtree Border Post.
Corporal Luckson Chikwara (39) and James Dzimirwa (36), both ZIMRA revenue officers, were arrested alongside clearing agent Blessing Kodzawako (33) and CIM Consultancy employee Innocent Moyo (36). The four appeared before Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware and were remanded to 13 March on US$200 bail each.
Prosecutor Sheila Nyathi told the court that the elaborate scam began on 24 January 2024, when Moyo allegedly generated a fraudulent tax clearance for Baobab Consultancy using ZIMRA’s Tarms system. The company, owned by director Phillip Mafurebwe, was not registered for importation of goods.
The court heard that Moyo later issued the same tax clearance to Nyasha Moyo, an employee of Blenny Freight Services, who then worked with accused Kodzawako to fraudulently register Baobab Consultancy as an importer.
Once registered, the pair allegedly began importing alcohol and other duty‑liable goods through Plumtree Border Post, disguising them as duty‑free agricultural equipment such as centre pivots, knapsacks and bulk washing powder.
Nyathi said the accused generated fake invoices and fraudulent bills of entry in the ASYCUDA World System, using codes for agricultural equipment to evade import duty. Several clearing agents — including Queenlight Investments, Proconnie Investments, Pelican Advisory and Sydow Investments — allegedly assisted by generating fraudulent bill of entry numbers.
At the scanning point, ZIMRA officers Chikwara, Dzimirwa and Tinotenda Mawoyo allegedly deliberately skipped scanning trucks carrying alcohol, falsely reporting to the commercial office that the vehicles contained low‑risk agricultural goods.
Commercial officers, relying on the misrepresentations, released the trucks without charging duty.
As a result, ZIMRA suffered a loss of ZAR18 295 203.55, equivalent to US$1 006 235.20, in unpaid import duty.
Investigations are ongoing.
Corporal Luckson Chikwara (39) and James Dzimirwa (36), both ZIMRA revenue officers, were arrested alongside clearing agent Blessing Kodzawako (33) and CIM Consultancy employee Innocent Moyo (36). The four appeared before Plumtree magistrate Joshua Nembaware and were remanded to 13 March on US$200 bail each.
Prosecutor Sheila Nyathi told the court that the elaborate scam began on 24 January 2024, when Moyo allegedly generated a fraudulent tax clearance for Baobab Consultancy using ZIMRA’s Tarms system. The company, owned by director Phillip Mafurebwe, was not registered for importation of goods.
The court heard that Moyo later issued the same tax clearance to Nyasha Moyo, an employee of Blenny Freight Services, who then worked with accused Kodzawako to fraudulently register Baobab Consultancy as an importer.
Once registered, the pair allegedly began importing alcohol and other duty‑liable goods through Plumtree Border Post, disguising them as duty‑free agricultural equipment such as centre pivots, knapsacks and bulk washing powder.
Nyathi said the accused generated fake invoices and fraudulent bills of entry in the ASYCUDA World System, using codes for agricultural equipment to evade import duty. Several clearing agents — including Queenlight Investments, Proconnie Investments, Pelican Advisory and Sydow Investments — allegedly assisted by generating fraudulent bill of entry numbers.
At the scanning point, ZIMRA officers Chikwara, Dzimirwa and Tinotenda Mawoyo allegedly deliberately skipped scanning trucks carrying alcohol, falsely reporting to the commercial office that the vehicles contained low‑risk agricultural goods.
Commercial officers, relying on the misrepresentations, released the trucks without charging duty.
As a result, ZIMRA suffered a loss of ZAR18 295 203.55, equivalent to US$1 006 235.20, in unpaid import duty.
Investigations are ongoing.
Source - Byo24news
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