US$300 Fine For Mutare Man Caught With 87 Bales Of US$36 000 Worth Of Smuggled ,Used Clothes On His truck

A SAKUBVA man was last Saturday arrested with 87 bales and five sacks of second-hand clothes as well as a sack of shoes at Christmas Pass roadblock around 1.

The goods worth US$36 000 had been smuggled into the country from Mozambique.

However, Jacob Saungweme of House Number 197, Chineta, Sakubva whose vehicle was impounded and spent the whole weekend parked at Mutare Central Police Station, was slapped with a six-month jail term on Tuesday.

He had pleaded guilty to the charges of smuggling when he appeared before senior Mutare magistrate, Mrs Sekai Chiwundura on Tuesday.

Mr Fletcher Karombe prosecuted.

Saungweme was given an option to pay a fine of US$300 by April 15, failure to do so would result in him being jailed for six months.

The court heard that Saungweme who was employed by Kizito Martins as a truck driver was nabbed with the consignment on March 19 at around 1am at Christmas Pass along Mutare-Harare Highway.

Mr Karombe said Saungweme arrived at the roadblock driving a Hino Truck Registration Number ACS3881 heading towards Harare and was signaled to stop.

“Saungweme engaged the reverse gear and attempted to avoid the roadblock by reversing away from it.

“After reversing for about 200 metres, the accused stopped the vehicle and jumped out leaving the engine running and fled into the nearby bush.

“The police had a physical check on the abandoned vehicle and discovered that it was loaded with 86 sealed bales, five sacks of second-hand clothes and one sack of shoes and impounded the vehicle and its consignment. It was driven to Mutare Central Police Station.

“Saungweme was arrested on Monday and had no papers relative to the goods which were carried by the vehicle which was in Contravention of Section 174 (2) (b) of the Customs and Excise Act, Chapter 23:02 (failure to account for goods that should be accounted for),” he said.by Liberty Dube.
Source: manicapost