Customs agent steals US$11 000 from client

Michael Mashiri

The director of a customs and clearing agency stands accused of defrauding a Harare company of US$11 000 after he was given money to clear duty for three vehicles and only paid for one.

Customs Excellency director Munyaradzi Hillary Murombedzi, 41, of Woodwall, Marlborough appeared before magistrate Evelyn Mashavakure on charges of violating Section 136 of the Criminal Law Codification and Reform Act, Chapter 9.23.

The state through Zebediah Bofu states that in April 2021, Tendra Motors bought three Toyota Coaster buses from South Africa.

Soon after the purchase and before the buses were brought into the country, Government gazetted a statutory instrument which required special license to import vehicles over 10 years old from date of manufacture.

Tendra Motors then engaged Murombedzi to facilitate the clearance.

Murombedzi charged Tendra Motors ZW$575 000 which was equivalent to US$16 000 for the three coasters.

Tendra Motors paid the ZW$575 000 into Murombedzi’s bank account and US$1 050 cash making it a total of US$17 050.

During the same month, Murombedzi paid customs duty amounting to US$5 000 for one coaster at ZIMRA, Beitbridge Border Post and converted the balance of US$11 000 to his own use.

The coaster was then delivered to the complainant in May 2022. Later in August 2022, Tendra Motors consulted ZIMRA, Beitbridge Border Post and discovered that Murombedzi had not cleared the other two vehicles.

The complainant reported the matter to the police on March 1, 2023 leading to Murombedzi's arrest on March 5, 2023.

The court also heard that in October 2021, Murombedzi lied to the same complainant that he was able to facilitate in the change of ownership of his Toyota Quantum from the previous owner into his name.

The complainant gave Murombedzi US$500 and the vehicle registration book, but Murombedzi did not process the ownership change.

Mashavakure granted Murombedzi ZW$100 000 bail and remanded him to May 9, 2023.