By Rex Mphisa
DIRECTORS of at least four shipping agents at Beitbridge spent the weekend in in remand prison pending the outcome of their bail applications made Thursday and Friday last week.
The four, Isaac Mazengera (52), a director at IT Maze Forwarders Ltd, Norman Magonga (43), a director at Inhle Clearing Pvt Ltd and Shamiso Mubonderi (42) of Hyperclass Investments T/A Asante Sana, along with their companies, have been charged for fraud.
They are believed to be part of a group that recently breached the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) customs system.
Following the recent breach, thousands of dollars were credited into bank accounts of customs agents who hold bonds with Zimra.
Under such a set-up, money kept in that form is deducted to pay duty and other levies when the agents process imports or exports of dutiable goods.
The four who initially appeared before Beitbridge Resident Magistrate Ms Patience Madondo on Thursday are expected in court again on Monday for continuation of bail hearing.
Tawanda Chigavazira, for The State, said the charges arose on July 11 when they all, in the same manner, breached the Zimra customs systems and defrauded the revenue collector of thousands of dollars in local and foreign currency.
He said IT Maze Forwarders defrauded Zimra of US$25,056 and ZWG166, 289.
The court also heard that Inhle Clearing prejudiced the revenue collector a total of ZWG2,15 million and Asante Sana got ZWG1,9 million during the breach.
The accused were arrested following investigations by Zimra and the police.
In Harare two Zimra employees believed masterminds of the scheme, have already appeared in court and await trial.
It is the second time the system has been breached and some experts in Customs and Excise believe the Assycuda system used by Zimra is porous.
At the moment select user accounts for customs clearing agents have been deactivated pending further action.
Some people believe the arrests were not fair since several companies breached the system but others had negotiated with the tax collector who may have victimised other companies.