A Zambian national has been sentenced to five years in prison by the Harare Magistrates’ Court after he was caught attempting to smuggle more than 3kg of gold out of Zimbabwe.
Joseph Phiri, 33, was convicted of contravening the Gold Trade Act after he was found in possession of 3,118 grams of gold without a permit or licence.
The court heard that on October 28, 2025, detectives from the Criminal Investigations Department received a tip-off that Phiri planned to smuggle gold into Zambia through the Chirundu One-Stop Border Post.
Related Stories
Acting on the information, law enforcement officers intercepted him at Makuti Lodges along the Harare–Chirundu highway. He was driving a Toyota Mark X with Zambian number plates.
A search of the vehicle revealed three gold bars concealed beneath the seat-belt winder. The gold was seized and later weighed at 3,118 grams at the CID Minerals, Flora and Fauna Unit in Harare. It was subsequently assayed and confirmed to be pure gold by Fidelity Gold Refiners.
Phiri failed to produce any documentation authorising him to possess or transport the gold and was immediately arrested.
Magistrate Ruth Moyo sentenced him to five years in prison, noting the seriousness of the offence and its impact on the country’s mineral revenue. The gold has since been forfeited to the State.
Leave Comments