By Court Reporter
Former Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development Terrence Mukupe and three others have been found guilty of participating in an elaborate scheme to smuggle 138,979 liters of diesel into Zimbabwe without paying the required duty.
The conviction came after a lengthy legal battle that uncovered a web of deceit and smuggling activities.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) announced today that Mukupe, Same Kapisoriso, Joseph Taderera, and Leonard Mudzuto were convicted of unlawfully importing diesel without fulfilling their tax obligations.
The scheme, which unfolded on the 27th of January 2017 at Forbes Border Post in Mutare, involved a complex deception.
According to the NPA’s statement, the accused persons falsely claimed that the diesel was intended for offloading in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
However, their actions told a different story. They cleverly replaced the diesel with water while still in Zimbabwe, ensuring that they evaded paying the necessary import duty.
The intricate plot started to unravel on the 30th of January 2017 when officials from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) became suspicious and intercepted the suspects at Chirundu One Stop Border Post.
The authorities decided to verify the nature of the goods the individuals were transporting, and that’s when the shocking truth came to light.
As a result of their actions, the accused persons managed to evade paying duty amounting to USD$55,591.60, causing significant financial prejudice to the state.
The NPA said the accused individuals are currently in custody, awaiting their sentencing, which is scheduled for November 9, 2023, at the Harare High Court.
