Harare, (New Ziana) – The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) said on Friday it had arrested four Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) officials on allegations of soliciting for bribes from transport operators to facilitate the release of buses impounded under the ongoing anti-smuggling operations.
ZACC said the four will appear in court on Saturday.
“The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has arrested four Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) officials on allegations of demanding payment from a transport operator to facilitate release of a bus impounded during an ongoing operation to curb smuggling,” it said.
The accused persons are Jonathan Maguta, Obert Mitwira, Simon Homera, and Paul Gwatirinda – all employees of the tax collector. They face extortion charges or alternatively, criminal abuse of duty as public officers. Circumstances are that a bus from Best Express Logistics was impounded during an ongoing operation to curb smuggling and the company was ordered to pay duty of ZWG55 000.
However, after paying the required duty, the accused persons allegedly demanded an additional US$6 000 from Beatrice Maramwidze, the bus company’s director as payment to facilitate the release of the bus from BAK Storage in Harare, ZAAC said.
Maramwidze, who was not pleased by the bribe demand, reported the matter to ZACC and an investigation was launched resulting in the arrest of the four after allegedly accepting a down payment of US1 500 bribe.
They were driving a ZIMRA-branded vehicle at the time of their arrest. Upon searching the vehicle, an additional US$3 951, suspected to be part of extorted bribes, was recovered, ZACC said. The suspects were arrested, and are currently detained at Avondale Police Station awaiting court appearance at the weekend.
New Ziana
