Chatunga Mugabe case sucks in ZIMRA officials

Two Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials have been arrested on allegations of criminal abuse of duty in connection with two luxury vehicles impounded in Harare last week during an investigation linked to Chatunga Bellarmine Mugabe.

Edwin Mhondiwa Chabuda (43) and Upenyu Chaurura (51), both revenue officers stationed at Plumtree Border Post, were arrested by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) yesterday following investigations into the alleged unlawful importation and concealment of the vehicles.

The pair is accused of processing the cars through Plumtree without conducting mandatory physical inspections — in breach of Zimra standard operating procedures — and falsely certifying their exit from the country.

The vehicles, a black Lamborghini Urus bearing South African registration plates TL 00 GP and a Mercedes-Benz with registration number NB 76 MM GP, were allegedly smuggled into Zimbabwe and hidden at Number 6A Brompton Road, Newlands, Harare, for over a month to evade customs duty.

Zacc’s Special Operations Unit acted on intelligence received on November 3, mounting a surveillance operation that uncovered the vehicles at the Newlands property. Zimra subsequently confirmed that neither vehicle held a valid Temporary Importation Permit or official entry records, despite both having been logged as having exited the country via Plumtree. *_-Herald_*