Man nabbed for defrauding Zimra of US$4,800

Michael Mashiri

Zim Now Reporter

A Nyabira man, Nyamuremwa Godfrey, 50, is set to appear in court on September 25 after being accused of defrauding the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority of approximately US$4,800. Godfrey allegedly tendered a fake rebate letter to clear a motor vehicle through the Beitbridge border post.

The alleged incident occurred in February 2023 when Patronella Nyanhanga, a Zimbabwe National Army employee, purchased a Nissan Note from South Africa. She subsequently applied for a rebate of duty through the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.

Her brother, George Chipondoro, was tasked with monitoring the progress of the application. It was during this time that Chipondoro approached Godfrey, who claimed expertise in the car sales business, for assistance in obtaining the rebate letter.

Godfrey allegedly provided Chipondoro with a fake rebate letter dated March 2, 2023, which was used to successfully clear the vehicle at the Beitbridge border post on the same day. However, the legitimate rebate authority was only granted to Nyanhanga on February 5, 2023.

As a result of the fraudulent transaction, Zimra suffered a loss of approximately US$4,800 in unpaid import duty. The matter was reported to the authorities, leading to Godfrey's arrest and subsequent court appearance.

The case has raised concerns about the ease with which fraudulent documents can be used to clear imported vehicles, highlighting the need for stricter measures to prevent such occurrences.