A 53-YEAR-OLD truck driver has been arrested after he allegedly tried to smuggle goods worth R427 823 through the Beitbridge Border Post without the company's knowledge.
Douglas Tengende, 53, was reported to the police in Gweru after he arrived at his company, Armesham Freight (Private) Limited in Gweru, without the truck after it was confiscated at the border for carrying illegal goods.
He has since been remanded in custody and is set to appear in court tomorrow for initial remand.
Prosecutor Christine Shonhiwa told the court that on October 28, 2024, the accused person left for South Africa driving an ERF Super Link Truck heading to Johannesburg to collect a consignment of tiles which was supposed to be delivered to Harare.
The court heard that the accused collected the consignment and later loaded another consignment of goods worth R427 823 without the company's knowledge which he allegedly intended to smuggle into Zimbabwe.
It is the State's case that on November 2, 2024 at the Beitbridge Border Post, an inspection by customs officials from the scan department discovered that Tengende was carrying goods which were not part of the legitimate consignment.
This resulted in the seizure of the truck.
He reported the seizure of the truck to his employer. However his employer caused his arrest after it emerged that he had tried to smuggle goods into Zimbabwe.
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