The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) has seized the car of a Bamushana Secondary School teacher and detained her for seven months over an alleged clerical error by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA).
Ironically, ZACC used an undated forfeiture certificate to seize Hassan Mutudzaniswa’s Nissan Note Reg number AFW 0525 in May 2023, and he approached the courts in December last year to have the car repossessed.
The matter is before Masvingo Magistrate Tafadzwa Chikura under MSVPCG 477/23.
The car was seized by ZACC after Zimra allegedly misappropriated the 1928 Mutudzaniswa duty deduction reference number and seized it 1927.
Two Zimra Masvingo officers, Pardon Makanda (36) and Robert Jacobo (31), were arrested around the same time on fraud charges after they allegedly issued fake rebates.
Mutudzaniswa’s customs duty rebate was issued by the Ministry of Finance and Investment Promotion (formerly Ministry of Finance and Economic Development) for duty-free import of a vehicle for civil servants.
He imported a Nissan Note and had Zimra conduct an audit in May 2023 when the fault was discovered. The findings were passed on to ZACC who investigated and confiscated Mutodzaniswa’s Nissan Note on the grounds that it had been obtained fraudulently.
ZACC impounded the vehicle for seven months while investigations were carried out, and Mutudzanyiswa stated that he approached the courts after efforts to engage Zimra and ZACC failed.
“On May 24, Tax Reference No. 1928 was duly issued by the Ministry of Finance. However, Zimra was wrongly captured or for whatever purpose, the deduction Reference No. 1927 was seized as an exact copy of the original deduction contrary to the true and original Deduction Reference No. 1928. This error originates and stems from Zimra and has nothing to do with the applicant…
“The applicant has explored other alternative remedies in an attempt to engage ZACC and Zimra to no avail. “ZACC claims that the investigations are still ongoing and that the persons who committed the wrongdoing have fled to South Africa and do not know when they will be concluded,” reads part of Mutudzaniswa’s application. .
Zimra and the Ministry of Finance have written to the court stating that they have no problems with the application.
ZACC insists Mutudzaniswa must resolve his issues with Zimra.
Mutudzanyiswa is seeking an order ordering ZACC to release the vehicle into his custody, for Zimra to correct the error he made in deducting the fees, and to prohibit him from making any modifications to the vehicle. Masvingo mirror
