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Pamela Shumba, Senior Reporter
FORMER First Lady Mrs Grace Mugabe’s son Russell Goreraza was yesterday detained for hours at the Plumtree Border Post before driving into Botswana on transit to South Africa with three luxury vehicles.

Sources said customs officials suspected Goreraza, who was in the company of a Tinashe Munatsi and other unidentified people, was using the top of the range vehicles to smuggle cash and other valuables out of the country.

The sources said Goreraza, Munatsi and his team spent almost seven hours at the entry point as they were subjected to questioning and thorough searches.

“The three cars, a Rolls Royce, a Porsche and a Range Rover, were thoroughly searched and scanned. Goreraza and his companions were questioned for close to seven hours,” said a source at the border.

The Range Rover, with personalised plates and the Porsche with South African registration numbers reportedly belong to Mrs Mugabe while the Rolls Royce, also with personalised plates belongs to Goreraza.

Police, Zimra and immigration officials declined to comment yesterday, saying they didn’t have information on the incident.

“Goreraza had papers for the cars, including affidavits giving him and Munatsi permission to drive Mrs Mugabe’s cars. He maintained he was taking the cars to South Africa for servicing,” said another source.

The sources said suspicion arose because Goreraza opted to go through Botswana instead of going to South Africa directly through Beitbridge Border Post.

“They arrived at the Plumtree Border Post at 8AM and only left around 3PM as authorities tried to verify with the military intelligence if the cars were genuinely being taken to South Africa for service.

“One of the cars has a temporary import permit that was expiring today. Mrs Mugabe was also contacted to verify a number of issues before the cars were taken through a scan for thorough searches,” said a source at the border post.

They were cleared to cross into Botswana and at about 5PM yesterday they were seen at Nando’s in Francistown.

Yesterday’s incident comes in the wake of Government rounding up top officials wanted for corruption.

Mrs Mugabe is well known for her expensive taste which earned her the nickname Gucci Grace.

Goreraza has been in the public light for a number of controversies which include allegedly grabbing mines and immovable properties.

In September last year, he reportedly spent R70 million, approximately $5.3 million on a Rolls-Royce Ghost (four-door) and a Rolls Royce Dawn (convertible). He was criticised by many in and out of the country for his flagrant display of wealth when the country was suffering from massive shortages of cash and foreign currency. — @pamelashumba1