2 Zimra Officers Arrested Over Chatunga Mugabe’s Lamborghini
Two ZIMRA officers stationed at Plumtree Border Post have been arrested for allegedly falsifying the exit of two luxury vehicles belonging to Chatunga Mugabe.
The officers are Edwin Mhondiwa Chabuda, 43, and Upenyu Chaurura, 51. They were arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and are facing charges of Criminal Abuse of Duty as a Public Officer.
They allegedly cleared a South African registered Lamborghini Urus and a Mercedes-Benz GLE 53 for exit at Plumtree without physically inspecting them. This is a direct violation of ZIMRA Standard Operating Procedures.
Investigations by ZACC’s Special Operations Unit revealed that the two vehicles entered Zimbabwe under Temporary Import Permits but were kept hidden for more than a month at Number 6A Brompton Road, Brompton Guest Lodge in Newlands, Harare. They had no valid permits or official entry records.
Yet ZIMRA records fraudulently showed that the Lamborghini which entered in June had exited back to South Africa on 12 July. The same records showed that the Mercedes GLE 53 which entered on 12 July had exited on 10 October.
Both cars were actually still in Harare. They were seized by ZACC at the Newlands lodge on the evening of 3 November at around 6:30pm.
The operation turned violent when 29-year-old Bellarmine Chatunga Mugabe, the youngest son of the late former President Robert Mugabe, and four other men allegedly assaulted a ZACC officer who was executing the seizure.
The four other men were identified as Munashe Mubawu, Terrence Johannes Chinyemba, Fredson Peter and Solomon Pamire. They were all arrested and detained overnight at Highlands Police Station before appearing at Harare Magistrates Court.
The two ZIMRA officers are accused of fraudulently certifying that the supercars had exited the country when they had not. They were arrested on 8 November.
Chaurura is expected to appear at Plumtree Magistrates Court today, 10 November, while Chabuda will appear tomorrow, 11 November. ZIMRA has since introduced stricter controls on temporary import permits for foreign registered vehicles to curb this type of border fraud.
What do you think should happen to them? Jail or fine? Comment below!
–Fanuel Viriri