SA duo caged 15 years over R6m Zim cigarettes

Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau

A former South African Revenue Service (SARS) worker and his accomplice have been jailed for 15 years for conniving to smuggle tobacco worth R6 million from Zimbabwe into the neighbouring country.

Nthapeleng Adler Munyai (47), a former customs clearing agent and Tsumbedzo Priscilla Nemangani Mashito (47), a former SARS official at Musina Beitbridge Border Post were sent to prison by the Musina Regional Court following a full trial.

Limpopo regional spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority, Ms Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said both accused persons were convicted on counts of fraud, forgery and two counts of corruption.

She said a truck and 614 boxes of semi-manufactured tobacco were forfeited to the State as part of the sentence. Ms Malabi-Dzhangi said the offence was committed in March 2016.

“The two accused were arrested for permitting a truck with two trailers, loaded with 614 boxes of semi-manufactured tobacco valued at R6 million to enter the country from Zimbabwe.

“They used forged consignment clearance documents at the BBR customs control area without compliance with the normal customs clearance process and procedures,” she said.

The truck was stopped at the Musina weighbridge by an officer of the Road Traffic Management Cooperation (RTMC) for routine compliance checks.

It was then discovered that the truck and trailer’s registration number plates did not match with the licence disks, raising suspicion that truck was carrying contraband.

The truck was forced to return to the BBR customs ramp under police escort for inspection.

“Munyai offered the witness gratification of R50 000 whilst the two were still at the weighbridge for him not to cause the truck to be returned to BBR for inspection and with total disregard for the consequences of his actions, continued to offer gratification of R200 000 to the witness (customs official) for him not to carry out any inspection of the truck when it was at the BBR customs ramp,” said Ms Malabi-Dzhangi.

“It was revealed that Mashito had just reported for work from leave and had swapped the original duty shift posting.

Further investigations revealed that Mashito had been instrumental in the processing of the truck and its consignment outside the normal and ordinary customs clearance process and procedures and had misrepresented to SARS how the transaction relating to the said truck was dealt with. South Africa’s Director of Public Prosecutions, Advocate Ivy Thenga, said the sentences would serve as a deterrent to the would-be perpetrators of similar offences.

South Africa has become one of the major destinations for cigarettes smuggled from Zimbabwe through Beitbridge Border Post.

It is understood that 30 percent of cigarettes on the South African market are from Zimbabwe.

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