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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
A BULAWAYO man has been arrested for smuggling 104 kilogrammes of copper valued at $2 000 into Botswana.

A magistrate has ruled that the vehicle which he used to smuggle the copper must be forfeited to the State.

Lameck Mwanga (31) of Emakhandeni suburb was intercepted at the Plumtree Border Post on Monday by detectives from the Minerals and Border Control Unit with copper which was hidden in his vehicle. He was convicted on his own plea of guilty by Plumtree magistrate, Mr Livard Philemon.

Mwanga told the court that he had been sent by someone from Botswana who had told him to pick up the copper from someone in Luveve suburb.

Mwanga was fined $300 or three months imprisonment in case of default. Mr Philemon said Mwanga’s vehicle and the smuggled copper were to be fortified to the State.

Prosecuting, Ms Jenipher Maone Shuche said detectives recovered the copper hidden under the car bonnet, in the boot and under the back seat.

“On 22 August around 7PM, Mwanga arrived at the Plumtree Border Post driving a Botswana registered BMW motor vehicle. He went through all border formalities and proceeded to the border exit gate.

“Mwanga was intercepted by detectives who referred him to the search bay for a routine check. The detectives searched the vehicle and found rolled copper stashed under the bonnet, in the boot and under the back seat,” she said.

Ms Shuche said Mwanga failed to produce a copper dealing licence and failed to explain why he had the copper.  She said the copper is suspected to have been stolen from ZEDTC power lines. She said Mwanga did not have declaration forms for the copper.

The copper weighed 104 kilogrammes and is worth $2 080. Ms Shuche said Mwanga was immediately arrested.

In mitigation, Mwanga told the court that he did not steal the copper but was assigned to smuggle it into Botswana.

“I was desperate to earn money to sustain my family and a man working in Botswana offered me the job of transporting the copper. He assigned me to collect a package in Luveve suburb and I was supposed to take it to him in Botswana.

“He also directed me to hide the copper in the vehicle as he didn’t have money to pay duty. I peg your pardon, Your Worship but I was just trying to put food on the table for my family,” he said. — @DubeMatutu.