News / National
Fuel fraudster jailed for 20 years
08 Mar 2025 at 14:45hrs | Views
The High Court of Zimbabwe, sitting in Harare, has sentenced Tinashe Sibanda to 20 years in prison after convicting him of fraud. In a related ruling, the court ordered the confiscation of assets belonging to Centenary Tobacco Company (Pvt) Ltd.
Sibanda was found guilty of forging documents to illegally import 4.47 million litres of duty-free diesel between October 2022 and February 2023, a scheme that resulted in an estimated revenue loss of US$2.8 million to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA). According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Sibanda misled CMED (Pvt) Ltd by claiming that his company had received government authorization to import duty-free fuel for agricultural purposes. He allegedly submitted counterfeit letters from both the Ministry of Agriculture and ZIMRA, which allowed him to bypass the required duty payments.
The fraudulent operation unraveled in January 2023 when ZIMRA identified discrepancies in the documents and demanded payment from CMED. The ensuing investigation led to a trial where the court imposed a harsh sentence. Although Sibanda received a 20-year prison term, five years were suspended on the condition of good behaviour, effectively reducing his time behind bars to 15 years.
In addition to the prison sentence, Centenary Tobacco Company (Pvt) Ltd has been ordered to pay ZIMRA US$2.1 million. The court also directed the Sheriff to promptly seize company property to ensure recovery of the lost funds.
The National Prosecuting Authority emphasized that the verdict is a clear signal in its ongoing efforts to combat corruption and fraud. "This case serves as a stern warning to anyone engaged in fraudulent activities against the state," an NPA spokesperson said, urging the public to report any suspicious activity to the relevant authorities.
The ruling reinforces Zimbabwe's zero-tolerance stance on corruption, sending a strong message to those who seek to undermine the integrity of government revenue systems.
Sibanda was found guilty of forging documents to illegally import 4.47 million litres of duty-free diesel between October 2022 and February 2023, a scheme that resulted in an estimated revenue loss of US$2.8 million to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA). According to the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Sibanda misled CMED (Pvt) Ltd by claiming that his company had received government authorization to import duty-free fuel for agricultural purposes. He allegedly submitted counterfeit letters from both the Ministry of Agriculture and ZIMRA, which allowed him to bypass the required duty payments.
The fraudulent operation unraveled in January 2023 when ZIMRA identified discrepancies in the documents and demanded payment from CMED. The ensuing investigation led to a trial where the court imposed a harsh sentence. Although Sibanda received a 20-year prison term, five years were suspended on the condition of good behaviour, effectively reducing his time behind bars to 15 years.
The National Prosecuting Authority emphasized that the verdict is a clear signal in its ongoing efforts to combat corruption and fraud. "This case serves as a stern warning to anyone engaged in fraudulent activities against the state," an NPA spokesperson said, urging the public to report any suspicious activity to the relevant authorities.
The ruling reinforces Zimbabwe's zero-tolerance stance on corruption, sending a strong message to those who seek to undermine the integrity of government revenue systems.
Source - chronicle
