TWO BULAWAYO men allegedly extorted $30 000 from a local liquor company after claiming they could “sweet talk” the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) to release a vehicle impounded over illegal importation of beer.
BY SILAS NKALA
Nkululeko Ncube (40) and Blessed Gumbo (47) denied the fraud charge when they appeared before magistrate Merilyn Mutshina on Wednesday. Ncube was granted $1 000 bail while Gumbo was released on free bail as the casewas remanded to August 31.
The complainant in the matter is Turkey (Pvt) Ltd based in Bulawayo; which was represented by its managing director Himesh Dulabh.
Prosecutor Danmore Kasenza told the court that on December 23 last year, the company imported beer from South Africa into Zimbabwe and cleared it under bill of entry number C93285 at Beitbridge Border Post.
However, Zimra officials impounded the truck on the basis that it had been used in the commission of smuggling of a similar consignment before.
The pair got wind of the development and offered to assist the company by making representations to Zimra for the release of the truck and cargo.
They allegedly demanded $30 000 from the firm which they said would be used to settle customs levies.
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Acting on the misrepresentation, the company allegedly paid the money to the suspects who converted it to their own use.
The company officials later discovered they had been duped and reported the matter to police, leading to the pair’s arrest.
