ZACC Launches Manhunt For ZIMRA Officer Involved In ‘Well-Thought-Out’ Fuel Fraud
THREE ZIMRA employees stationed at Chirundu Border Post have been arrested on fraud charges while another is on the run, after conniving to misrepresent that two 40,000 litre fuel tanks had passed their station and evading about US$30,000 in tax.
Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) confirmed the arrest of Shepherd Mayeka (40), Honest Chikorese (36) and Simbarashe Chingondo (29) Thursday, in a communique that also revealed Agreement Zhira had fled to Zambia.
Chingondo is facing Obstruction of Justice charges after tipping Mayeka that ZACC officers were looking for him before urging the accused to skip Zimbabwe’s border into Zambia.
According to their charge sheet, the three helped Elima Fuels divert 80,000 litres of fuel intended for Zambia and imported through Forbes Border Post. Two 40,000-litre tanks were diverted to Harare’s Waterfalls in two days.
“On the 20th of August 2023, Elima Fuels imported 40,000 litres of unleaded petrol from Mozambique and cleared its consignment through Forbes Border Post in Mutare. The consignment was declared as removal in transit (RIT) destined for Zambia and was laden in a truck bearing registration number ADZ 8991 with trailer registration number AFJ 1684was destined for Lusaka Zambia.
“The truck driver then connived with a sealing officer at ZIMRA Forbes border post and instead of attaching the master seal on the truck for tracking of the truck by ZIMRA Electronic Cargo Tracking system control room in Harare they placed it on some other vehicle which then proceeded to Chirundu Border Post,” reads the charge sheet.
“All this was done in bid to avoid being detected by ZIMRA control rooms that were monitoring the tracker. The truck then diverted from the route and proceeded to a service station in Waterfalls, Harare and never reached Chirundu.
“In Chirundu they conspired with the accused who then misrepresented that he had disarmed the master seal number AC013964 of the consignment on the actual truck yet the truck did not reach ChirunduBorder Post and signed on the bill of entry numbered ZWFBS34534 of August 2023 to endorse this action.
“Mayeka then colluded with Chikorese and Zhira who then entered in the ZIMRA ASYCUDA system that they had done a Physical Examination on the said truck. Zhira then went on to issue a road report number ZWCH/RR/4447/08/23 for this particular truck, well knowing that the truck was never at the border.”
A ZACC team raided Elima Fuels in Waterfalls, Harare on August 22 and recovered the truck.
Mayeka, Chikorese and Zhira allegedly did the same on August 21. ZACC recovered the second truck. -New Zimbabwe-
