Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge bureau
FIVE soldiers and a police officer based at Beitbridge Border Post have been arrested for allegedly conniving with a Bulawayo man to smuggle a consignment of beer and flea market wares worth $2,600 using a ZNA vehicle. Police Officer Commanding Beitbridge District Chief Superintendent Patrick Majuta said the suspects were arrested on Sunday afternoon and will be charged with smuggling.

He said a Bulawayo man, Bhekimpilo Ncube, arrived in the country driving a Toyota Hilux which was towing a trailer.
“The vehicle was loaded with 23 boxes of an assortment of wines and flea market wares including 705 bras, wallets and men’s belts which he intended to import into the country,” said Chief Supt Majuta.

“Ncube enlisted the services of the soldiers and one of our police details to help him smuggle his consignment into the country using the ZNA vehicle. They then offloaded the goods into the army truck.”

Chief Supt Majuta said two soldiers then drove the truck to the border exit gate where they were intercepted by alert officers from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) anti-smuggling team who requested to search the car.

Following the discovery of the consignment which attracted excise duty of $2,625, the soldiers were told to pay customs duty before leaving the border post, but they drove back to their check point and parked the car.

Chief Supt Majuta said the Zimra officers later followed the suspects and insisted on them paying duty but they were reluctant resulting in the revenue officers seizing the goods.

They then advised the police who then arrested the gang.
The soldiers, corporals Zororai Enock Tshuma, 33 and Alfonse Nhengo, 29, and sergeants Thabani Galawi, 34, Godfrey Moyo and Nkosilathi Hlabangana, all based at One Independence Barracks in the border town along with Constable Thomas Madondo of the Support Unit, were not asked to plead to smuggling when they appeared before Miss Gloria Takundwa charged with smuggling on Monday.

They were all remanded out of custody to April 10 on free bail.

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