A Chirundu-based clearing agent has appeared before the Harare Magistrates’ Court facing theft allegations after allegedly falsifying export documentation to facilitate the illegal movement of stolen lead blocks to South Africa.

Kudakwashe Dezi, 43, of Chirundu, is accused of assisting a syndicate that diverted a consignment of lead blocks originally destined for export to Beira, Mozambique.

The court heard that on March 15, 2026, the complainant contracted Langford Kamanga, owner of Thunder Rock Logistics Transport, through Victor Moyana to transport 36 lead blocks from Leichi Battery Recycling Company in Norton to Beira.

Kamanga reportedly provided two trucks for the assignment: horse registration ABB8750 with trailer AEU2040 carrying container HPCU2543213, and horse registration ADC0430 with trailer AEZ3564 carrying container FCIUG271062.

The two trucks, driven by Kamanga and Tawanda Zimbowa, proceeded to Leichi Battery Recycling where the lead blocks purchased by the complainant were loaded.

However, upon reaching Harare, the court heard that Kamanga and Zimbowa allegedly connived with Progress Shiriyapenga and John Biney, who remains at large, to steal the consignment.

Kamanga allegedly handed over his truck to Frank December, while Zimbowa, December and Shiriyapenga transported the cargo to a warehouse in Goromonzi, where the 36 lead blocks were offloaded under instructions from Biney.

The court heard that Kamanga and Zimbowa each received US$10,800 from Shiriyapenga, allegedly acting on Biney’s instructions, as payment for the diverted consignment.

Shiriyapenga then allegedly engaged Fanuel Gwamure, a truck driver employed by SLS Marketing Transport, to move 19 of the lead blocks to South Africa.

The blocks were loaded onto Gwamure’s truck while arrangements were made to secure export documentation required for border clearance.

It is alleged that on March 17, 2026, Biney engaged Isaac Freddy and instructed him to arrange false export clearance documents indicating that the lead cells were in transit from Zambia to South Africa.

Freddy allegedly approached Dezi, a clearing agent stationed at Chirundu Border Post, to process the clearance.

The State alleges that Dezi registered false export documents into the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority system, declaring that 19 lead cells were in transit using a Volvo truck with registration number AFQ1265 and trailers AGK6746 and AGK6747.

Prosecutors further allege that Dezi stamped driver Fanuel Gwamure’s passport to falsely indicate that he had crossed from Zimbabwe into Zambia and returned on the same day.

As part of the process, bill of entry number 2026 MAR05 reflecting 27 tonnes and 19 blocks of lead cells, together with a manifest, commercial invoice and release order, were generated through the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority system.

Armed with the allegedly falsified documents, Freddy reportedly travelled to Harare and instructed Gwamure to transport the 19 lead blocks to Plumtree Border Post for export.

The court heard that Freddy facilitated the clearance of the shipment at Plumtree, after which the cargo was transported into South Africa to a company identified as NN Metals.

Police later intercepted the truck upon its return from South Africa after the stolen consignment had been offloaded. The vehicle is currently being held as part of investigations.

The stolen property is valued at approximately US$100,000.

Investigations are continuing, and other suspects linked to the case remain at large.