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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau            

A 33-year-old Zimbabwean man has been jailed for an effective 16 years by a Musina Magistrate Court for smuggling an assortment of explosives into South Africa worth R132 000.

Prosper Takunda Henry Mumbure was found guilty for smuggling explosives on Thursday. He was arrested by South Africa’s elite police, the Hawks in November last year. Hawks spokesperson for Limpopo province, Lieutenant Colonel Matimba Maluleke, confirmed the sentence in a statement on Monday.

He said Mumbure was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for contravening Section 8 of the Explosives Act of 1956 (smuggling of explosives), and a further 1-year imprisonment for contravening Section 67 of the Criminal Procedure Act 51 of 1977.

“On 17 November 2022, the accused was driving a truck from Zimbabwe to South Africa (Johannesburg) when he was stopped by SARS officials at Beitbridge Port of Entry,” said Lt Col Maluleke.

“With the assistance of the police, the truck was searched and 17 detonating fuses, 1 252 connection caps, and 2 569 cartridges worth over R132 000-00 were found hidden in the truck and seized.

Mumbure and his passenger were arrested and the case docket was transferred to the Hawks’ Serious Organised Crime Investigation for further handling”.

He said Mumbure and his passenger were granted R5 000 bail each. However, the case charges against the passenger were later withdrawn as it was established that she had just been given a lift.

The official added that Mambure failed to appear in court on his next court date resulting in a warrant of arrest authorized against him. The Hawks members hunted down the accused until he was found and rearrested on 4 April 2023.

Hawks provincial commander, Major General Gopz Govender said: “It is high time that cross-border criminals realize that their time is over. We will do everything in our power to ensure that our province and the entire country are protected from these criminals”.