Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
Two men yesterday appeared in court for allegedly conniving with a top State security agent to steal a motor vehicle from South Africa before smuggling it into the country.
Samson Marufu (34) and Hillary Nduna (41) were facing theft of a motor vehicle charges when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tendai Mahwe. They were remanded in custody to August 29 and advised to apply for bail at the High Court.
Prosecuting, Mr Peter Kachirika had earlier on opposed bail arguing that the duo had committed a third schedule offence. It is alleged that sometime in January 2015, the duo, acting in common purpose, connived with Abdul Ishmael, Mbereki Mbizvo Nyathi, who was a senior state security agent who is already on remand at Harare Central Prison and Bernard Chiweshe who is still at large as well as their other accomplice based in South Africa to steal a BMW 320D and brought it to Zimbabwe.
The court heard that Marufu obtained the vehicle from Chiweshe and handed it over to Nduna. It is alleged that they fraudulently obtained a registration book from the Central Vehicle Registry. The court heard that the duo evaded the payment of import duty to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. It is alleged that Nduna later gave the vehicle to Ishmael who took it to Nyathi for safekeeping.