By Thupeyo Muleya
A 48-year old businessman from Ruwa has been fined $2000 for smuggling 2417 bullets from South Africa into the country through Beitbridge border post.
Bensen Zindere of 6543 Zimre Park in Ruwa who runs a company called Nechit Enterprises was intercepted by an alert police detective as he was about to leave the border area carrying his contraband in a small satchel.
He was convicted on his own plea of guilty when he appeared before Mr Godswill Mavenge charged with contravening a section of the Customs and Excise act.
Zindere was slapped with two months imprisonment with an option of a fine. Four months of the sentence were conditionally suspended for five years.
The smuggled bullets were forfeited to the state.
Prosecuting, Mr Jabulani Mberesi told the court that on 21 January, Zindere arrived at Beitbridge border post from South Africa carrying an assortment of bullets in a small satchel. While at the border post the businessman went through all immigration and customs procedures without declaring the ammunition.
He said Zindere then left the main immigration hall and walked towards the exit gate where he was intercepted by a detective on patrol who requested to see his travelling and customs declaration documents. The accused managed to produce his passport and had no declaration documents.
His small satchel was then searched leading to the discovery of an assortment of bullets which was packed in 26 boxes. The boxes which contained 2417 bullets were in turn seized by Zimra and Zindere was subsequently arrested.
The incident comes a few months after a retired army captain, Godfrey Mutasa of Harare was also fined $800 by a Beitbridge magistrate for smuggling an ammunition progressive loading machine worth R300 000. The Chronicle
