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Sukulwenkosi Dube Plumtree Correspondent
THE Chinhoyi man, 47, arrested at Plumtree Border Post last week for trying to smuggle eight kilogrammes of gold valued at $304,545 into Botswana has appeared in court.

Francis Maranjesi appeared before Plumtree magistrate, Livard Philemon yesterday facing charges of smuggling and possessing gold without a licence.

He was granted $300 bail and remanded out of custody to July 16.

Detectives conducted a search on Maranjesi’s vehicle after they were tipped off that he wanted to smuggle gold into the neighbouring country under the pretext that he was travelling to Francistown for shopping.

Philemon granted Maranjesi’s bail application which was presented by lawyer Nelson Mashizha of Sachikonye Ushe Legal Practitioners.

Prosecuting, Stanley Chinyanganya said Maranjesi was arrested on June 24 at around 4PM while driving a Toyota Verossa vehicle at the border’s exit gate.

He said Maranjesi arrived at the border and went through all Zimra and immigration formalities.

“Maranjesi presented himself to an immigration officer and he had his Zimbabwean passport stamped authorising him to leave the country for Botswana. He was then issued with a gate pass.

“He proceeded to complete a Zimra temporary export permit and proceeded to the exit gate,” he said.

Chinyanganya said Maranjesi then surrendered his gate pass and was later intercepted by police detectives from the Minerals and Border Control unit who indicated that they wanted to search his vehicle for gold.

He said Maranjesi was ordered to drive back to the search bay where 12 gold bars were recovered in his car.

Maranjesi was asked to produce a gold licence or permit but failed to do so leading to his arrest.

Chinyanganya said the gold had a total weight of 8,0589 kilogrammes and was valued at $304,545.

Gold smuggling has become a common crime at the Plumtree Border Post.

Recently, a 21-year-old illegal gold dealer was arrested there while trying to smuggle 6,2 kilogrammes of gold valued at $241,282 into Botswana.

Alan Courtney Rory Mulil was found in possession of two gold bars hidden in his vehicle.

The government recently set up teams to monitor gold production on a monthly basis as a means to curtail leakages by ensuring that the mineral is channelled to Fidelity Printers for refining.