The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has been given the greenlight to forfeit to the State three trucks belonging to former first lady Mrs Grace Mugabe that were brought into Zimbabwe more than 10 years ago without payment of duty after the supplier lied to Zimra that they were only temporarily in the country.
Four South African drivers sent by the supplier to deliver the three trucks were charged with swindling Mrs Mugabe of US$1 million in a truck-deal after she complained to police that the wrong model of truck was delivered. Cassimjee Bilal, Henry Hadebe, Samuel Baloyi and Sydney Sekgobelo, all South Africans, were later granted bail pending trial but jumped bail and returned to South Africa.
NPA applied for the forfeiture of the trucks in June this year but Harare magistrate Ms Barbara Mateko threw out the State application. But on review at the High Court, Justice Pisirayi Kwenda reversed the magistrate’s decision and ordered forfeiture of the three Iveco 440 trucks to the State.
