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Harare firm in court over massive fuel smuggling scheme
17 hrs ago |
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A local catering company has appeared in court accused of smuggling 977,500 litres of diesel and several consignments of methanol into Zimbabwe from Mozambique and South Africa without declaring the imports to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra).
Blessful Catering (Pvt) Limited, represented by its director, Liranzo Mitchel Masiya (34), appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo facing a charge of smuggling.
The complainant is the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, represented by its Loss Control Manager, Hillary Simbaneuta.
The State alleges that Masiya established Blessful Creation (Pvt) Ltd in 2022 as a catering company operating nationwide.
However, prosecutors allege that in 2026, Masiya and his alleged accomplice, Marvin Kesani Masiya, who remains at large, devised a scheme to smuggle diesel into Zimbabwe through the Chikwalakwala, Forbes and Beitbridge border posts using the company.
According to the prosecution, detectives received information on July 23, 2026, that diesel had allegedly been smuggled into Zimbabwe from Mozambique through the Forbes Border Post using the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) as the transporter.
Investigators proceeded to the NRZ station in Rusape, where they allegedly discovered seven railway fuel wagons, each carrying 42,500 litres of diesel, amounting to 297,500 litres.
The court heard that investigators obtained shipping documents from Rusape Station Manager Farai Chipunza which allegedly falsely declared the cargo as bitumen instead of diesel.
The documents were allegedly supplied to the NRZ by Marvin Kesani Masiya.
The State further alleges that in September 2025, the accused smuggled nine consignments of methanol from South Africa into Zimbabwe by road without making the required customs declarations.
In total, prosecutors allege that 977,500 litres of diesel and nine loads of methanol were unlawfully imported into Zimbabwe from Mozambique and South Africa without being declared to Zimra.
The matter remains before the courts, while investigations continue and efforts to locate the second suspect are underway.
Blessful Catering (Pvt) Limited, represented by its director, Liranzo Mitchel Masiya (34), appeared before Harare provincial magistrate Ruth Moyo facing a charge of smuggling.
The complainant is the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, represented by its Loss Control Manager, Hillary Simbaneuta.
The State alleges that Masiya established Blessful Creation (Pvt) Ltd in 2022 as a catering company operating nationwide.
However, prosecutors allege that in 2026, Masiya and his alleged accomplice, Marvin Kesani Masiya, who remains at large, devised a scheme to smuggle diesel into Zimbabwe through the Chikwalakwala, Forbes and Beitbridge border posts using the company.
According to the prosecution, detectives received information on July 23, 2026, that diesel had allegedly been smuggled into Zimbabwe from Mozambique through the Forbes Border Post using the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) as the transporter.
The court heard that investigators obtained shipping documents from Rusape Station Manager Farai Chipunza which allegedly falsely declared the cargo as bitumen instead of diesel.
The documents were allegedly supplied to the NRZ by Marvin Kesani Masiya.
The State further alleges that in September 2025, the accused smuggled nine consignments of methanol from South Africa into Zimbabwe by road without making the required customs declarations.
In total, prosecutors allege that 977,500 litres of diesel and nine loads of methanol were unlawfully imported into Zimbabwe from Mozambique and South Africa without being declared to Zimra.
The matter remains before the courts, while investigations continue and efforts to locate the second suspect are underway.
Source - online
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