Former Deputy Minister of Finance & Economic Development Terrence Mukupe has been convicted of importing diesel without paying duty.
The National Prosecuting Authority issued a statement today saying Mukupe and his accomplices Same Kapisoriso, Joseph Taderera and Leonard Mudzuto have been convicted of importing 138 979 litres of Diesel without paying duty on the 27th of January in 2017.
The fuel entered the country via Forbes Boarder Post in Mutare, on the pretex that it was destined for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
“The accused persons misrepresented that the diesel was going to be offloaded in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Pursuant to their plan, they replaced the diesel with water in Zimbabwe.
“The matter came to light on the 30th of January 2017 when officials from the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) intercepted them at Chirundu One Stop Boarder Post to verify the nature of the goods they were carrying.
“In so doing the accused persons prejudiced the State of revenue amounting to USD$55 591-60.
“The accused persons are in custody pending sentence on the 9th of November 2023 at the Harare High Court,”- reads the statement.
Mukupe’s conviction comes hot on the heals of the conviction of Zimbabwe Miners’ Federation President Henrietta Rushwaya for attempting to smuggle gold out of the country through Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport.
