The Criminal Investigations
Department (CID) anti-corruption department have swooped on the Central Vehicle
Registry (CVR) where a suspected vehicle smuggling syndicate has been unearthed,
the Zim Morning Post can reveal.
This publication has it on good authority that the CID has been perusing the database and interrogating CVR employees from the Vehicle section and Information Communication Technology (ICT) suspected to be involved in this racket for the past fortnight.
“The CID has been here interrogating employees that they suspect to be involved in this vehicle smuggling syndicate.
“They are leaving no stone unturned,opening all physical files, computer hard drives and files on soft copy,” revealed our highly placed source close to the developments.
It is alleged that vehicle smugglers are working in cahoots with some CVR employees who issue them with registration number plates of deregistered vehicles which they then temporarily activate.
“What happens is after being issued with a deregistered number plate, the smugglers will then use the vehicle for a short period of time then return to CVR requesting for change of number plates in the process legitimising the registration of the smuggled vehicles,” explained our source.
This prejudices the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) of millions of dollars through unpaid vehicle import duty.
This publication understands that the CID team has set a panel of nine officers to investigate and probe suspects.
Insiders say some of the CVR employees caught in the dragnet include Omega Chamboko and Gisima Chidzvete, both have already been taken to court and paid $100 bail.
Those under investigations include Farai Nyatsine, Morgan Nduku and Shelton Kakwenya. One, Amon Kapuswa, was interrogated and discharged.
It is also believed the net will also close in on a number of socialites (names withheld) who flaunt luxurious smuggled vehicles.
