TWO Zimbabweans will spend the next nine-and-a-half years in South African
prisons each, following their conviction for smuggling locally made cigarettes into
that country.
Farai Dangani (31) and Andrea Muchari (33) both pleaded guilty of six counts of
contravention of section 80(1)(a) of Customs and Excise Act by smuggling
cigarettes.
They also admitted another count of contravention of the Immigration Act after
jumping the border into South Africa without passports.
Their trial and subsequent conviction and jailing was in the Commercial Court held in
Giyani some 300 kilometres from Beitbridge on Monday July 10, 2023.
The Court heard the two were part of 11 Zimbabwean male nationals arrested on
Wednesday February 9, 2023 during an Intelligence-driven Operation conducted by
the Provincial Organised Crime Investigation Unit.
The 11 were travelling along Beja Road at Makhado in Vhembe District, when they
were spotted driving in five motor vehicles loaded with Zimbabwean made cigarettes
deemed illicit in that country.
The all had no passports.
The investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Makgorometje Makgahlela, was
opposed to bail since their arrest.
The remaining nine accused were remanded in custody and are scheduled to appear
before the Commercial Court in Giyani in October 2023 for their trial although it is not
mentioned why they are appearing separately.
Dangani and Muchari were each sentenced to nine years and six months in jail but
also given an option to pay hefty fines of R185 000 each.
They were both declared unfit to possess a firearm.
The five motor vehicles that included three Sedans and two SUVs used in the
commission of the crime were forfeited to the State, which also confiscated the
cigarettes worth half a million Rands.
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