A general view of the border fence that separates South Africa and Zimbabwe near the Beitbridge border post.
- Two former Beitbridge border post officials have been convicted of fraud and corruption.
- They assisted a truck full of semi-manufactured tobacco products to pass through the border without any clearance or documentation.
- Preliminary investigation revealed that the load was undeclared at customs.
Two former Beitbridge border officials have been convicted of fraud and corruption after assisting a truck full of semi-manufactured tobacco products to pass through the Zimbabwean border into SA without any clearance or documentation.
The Musina Regional Court on Friday found Nthapeleng Munyai, 47, and former clearing agent, Tsumbedzo Nemaangani, 46, guilty of fraud and corruption.
According to the Hawks, in March 2016 the truck was stopped by the Cross-Border Road Traffic Agency at the weigh bridge and the driver produced forged documents which did not match the details of the truck.
“The truck was diverted back to Beitbridge border post for physical inspection. During this process, the driver ran away and the clearing agent left the scene,” Hawks spokesperson, Warrant Officer Lethunya Mmuroa said.
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When the truck was physically inspected, semi-manufactured tobacco products valued at over R6 million were found inside the truck. Preliminary investigation revealed that the load was undeclared at customs.
Mmuroa said a case docket of fraud was opened at Musina police station, but was handed to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for further handling.
Both Munyai and Nemaangani were later arrested by the Polokwane-based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigators.
They appeared in the Musina Magistrate Court and were released on bail.
Munyai was since convicted for fraud, forgery, and three counts of corruption while Nemaangani was only convicted of fraud.
The case was remanded to 13 September for pre-sentence proceedings.