Woman in court for abusing civil servant vehicle i...

Woman in court for abusing civil servant vehicle import rebate facility

Michael Mashiri

A woman, who allegedly unlawfully facilitated a civil servant vehicle import rebate facility to be used by someone else, has been taken to court.

Tebhinas Kaseke, 55, of Staff Quarters, Manhenga Clinic, Bindura, appeared before magistrate Donald Ndirowei, at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts charged with fraud.

She will appear in court on March 3.

The complainant in the case is the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority, represented by Epson Moyo.

The State, through prosecutor Anesu Chirenje, alleges that in February 2023, Timukudze Nhongo, who is already on remand over the same case, approached Kaseke to assist him to import a vehicle for him through civil servant vehicle import rebate facility.

The two agreed to use plan to use Kaseke’s rebate to buy a car for accused two knowing very well that he was not a civil servant.

It is alleged that Kaseke gave her particulars to Timukudze Nhongo, who then paid for the vehicle a Toyota Corolla Axio to Saxton Trading Private Limited Auto Exports, using Kaseke’s particulars and gave her the invoice to apply for rebate of duty on motor vehicle imported by serving public servants.

It is alleged that Kaseke’s application was declined by the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development on the basis that the declared value of vehicle was not commensurate with market value of similar vehicles.

Upon rejection of the application for rebate Kaseke told Nhongo of the developments and they agreed to look for someone from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority to help them to import the paid vehicle.

Kaseke and Nhongo approached Yvonne Tambudzai Musoni, who is still at large, for her to process a fake rebate for the importation of the vehicle.

Musoni agreed and created a fake rebate letter authorising Kaseke to import a Toyota Corolla Axio through Beitbridge Border Post.

It is alleged that the reference number quoted on the fake rebate letter created by Musoni was for a file belonging to Zengenene Denford, who was authorised to import a Nissan Note on the March 6, 2023.

It is alleged that on March 1, 2023, and with intention to deceive Zimra officers, Nhongo on behalf of Kaseke presented vehicle importation papers to Zimra officials at Beitbridge Border Post, and the paperwork was allocated to Danai Taziwa, a revenue officer at Zimra Beitbridge Border Post for assessment.

Taziwa, on assessing the vehicle importation paper work submitted by Nhongo on behalf of Kaseke under the civil servant vehicle rebate scheme, send a verification request to Musoni through an email and she confirmed authenticity and Taziwa then generated assessment Number N2671 of 01.03.2023.

It is alleged that Taziwa went on to clear the importation of the vehicle on bill of entry ZWBB N2671 of 01/03/2023 without levying any import duty.

On April 14, 2023, Nhongo registered car with Central Vehicle Registry using Kaseke’s details.

Nhongo went on to sell the vehicle to Charles Chimutsanya contrary to the provisions of the rebate of duty on motor vehicles imported by specified serving public servants which states that any vehicle imported under the scheme cannot be sold within five years of importation.

As a result of the lies by the three accused persons to Zimra, the revenue authority suffered a prejudice of US$4 600.32 through an unpaid import duty for the motor vehicle.