MUTARE – Famous Tenda Buses owner Enerst Mungwari spent Monday night in police cells after he was arrested on allegations of obstructing police from carrying out their duties.
Mungwari (71), together with a woman identified as Mary Njokwe (34) – on Tuesday appeared before Mutare magistrate Tendai Mahwe facing obstruction of justice charges and were granted $150 bail each.
The two are expected back in court on November 28 for full trial.
Prosecutor Nyasha Mukonyora, leading the State, alleges that on October 13, three detectives who were on anti-smuggling operations at Sakubva Bus Terminus, received a tip-off that Njokwe had loaded some goods she had received from a Tenda bus from South Africa.
The detectives approached Tenda garage at number 6 Swansea Close, Nyakamete Industrial Area, where they noticed two motor vehicles leaving the premises.
The detectives followed the motor vehicles until they reached Sakubva Musika Rank where they intercepted the two cars.
The detectives demanded declaration papers for the goods and Njokwe failed to produce them, leading to her subsequent arrest.
Mungwari arrived at the scene shortly, driving a Range Rover registration number ADV 6927 and mobilised more than 20 touts to violently offload the goods from one of the vehicles and took them to Njokwe`s shop.
The prosecutor told the court that the following day, the detectives teamed up with Support Unit details and Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) officials and arrested Mungwari and Njokwe.
Njokwe led the police to the shop where the contraband had been stashed and the Zimra officials seized it.
