BREAKING NEWS: Maridadi arrested at Beitbridge border post
James Maridadi soon after his arrest at the Beitbridge border post Wednesday morning.

James Maridadi soon after his arrest at the Beitbridge border post Wednesday morning.

Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

Mabvuku legislator James Maridadi was arrested around 4am today by police detectives at Beitbridge border post after he was found shooting videos of customs officials and other travelers visiting the country through the border. Maridadi was also accused of entering through the border post without a passport or a valid travel document. Sources at the border said Maridadi went to the border post in the company of a relative, Natasha Jonga (24) who wanted to import a Toyota Fortuner, 2005 model which was bought from Singapore.

“They arrived at the border around 1am and went through all the processes to facilitate the clearance of the vehicle under the returning residents’ facility. The woman, Natasha Jonga was a student at the Free State University in South Africa” said the official.

He said during the processing of the documents, Natasha was requested to provide an affidavit from her parents to confirm here residence in the country as per the requirements of the Customs and Excise Act since she doesn’t own any property in the country.

The official said Maridadi then became emotional threatening the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) officials who were attending to them with unspecified action saying he had got assurance from his associates at the parastatal’s head office in Harare.

“He then started shooting videos of customs officers and other travellers within the border post and was arrested by alert security personnel who took him to the main police station” said the official. Maridadi is likely to be charged with contravening sections of the Immigration and the Protected Places and Areas Acts respectively. The provincial police spokesperson for Matabeleland South Assistant Inspector Nkosilathi Sibanda could not be reached for comment but the legislator is still detained at Beitbridge main police station.

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