Former Principal Director State Residences in the Office of
The President and Cabinet, Douglas Tapfuma, allegedly abused his office to
facilitate the importation of more than 80 vehicles without paying duty, a
court heard yesterday.
Tapfuma (53) who was arrested this week as part of the
ongoing anti-corruption blitz by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission,
yesterday faced three counts of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer
involving seven vehicles when he appeared before Harare Regional Magistrate Mr
Hosea Mujaya but in opposing bail, the State said he was being investigated for
importing 76 more cars using the same method.
He was remanded in custody to August 15. Tapfuma who was represented by a legal team led by Harare
lawyer, Vincent Matatu, failed to persuade the courts to grant him bail.
In their application, Tapfuma’s legal team argued that
there was no evidence that their client benefited from the seven vehicles and
that he used them for personal gains.
They also argued that their client was of fixed abode, who
is also a senior Government official and there was no evidence or proof that he
will interfere with the investigations.
In opposing bail the state represented by Mr Charles
Muchemwa argued that Tapfuma was a flight risk due to the nature of the offence
he was facing.
He said Tapfuma was also being investigated on another
issue whereby he allegedly used the same modus operandi but connived with other
accomplices to illegally import 76 double cab Isuzu vehicles.
In his bail ruling, Magistrate Mujaya said Tapfuma was not
a proper candidate for bail.
“Due to the predicament he (Tapfuma) finds himself in as a
senior Government official, makes him a flight risk,” he said.
Allegations are that on April 10, 2018, Tapfuma allegedly
imported two personal mini buses from South Africa under the guise that they
belonged to the Government. The buses’
chassis numbers are KDH225-0001125 and KDH 225-0002048.
On April 17, 2018, Tapfuma allegedly assigned Bonani Ganyane,
an officer working in the transport section of the department of State
Residences to proceed to Beitbridge and facilitate clearance of the two
vehicles on behalf of the department using report order forms as if they were
Government vehicles.
It is the State case that clearance of goods by report
order form is a clearance procedure that is normally used by Government
departments to apply for deferred clearance of goods from the Zimbabwe Revenue
Authority.
Ganyane allegedly proceeded to Beitbridge and provisionally
cleared the vehicles using report order forms. After clearing the alleged
vehicles Ganyane advised Tapfuma who instructed him to hand over the vehicles
to Vongaishe Mupereri who at that time was House of Assembly Member for Mbizo
Constituency.
The court heard that on April 20, 2018, Tapfuma made an
application to the Chief Secretary in the Office of the President and Cabinet
requesting for duty free certificates in the name of President’s Department and
they were issued.
Tapfuma allegedly applied for duty exemption for the
vehicles at Zimra which was granted. He then registered the vehicles at Central
Vehicles Registry under the name of the President’s Department and started
using the vehicles for his personal use.
The alleged vehicles were liable to a duty of US$3 180. The court heard that on count two Tapfuma imported another
batch of three personal vehicles on June 2018 from South Africa.
It is alleged that during the same month Tapfuma assigned
Cousin Gwanyanya who was acting Transport Manager in the Department of State
Residences to clear the vehicles at Zimra, Beitbridge. Tapfuma allegedly gave
Gwanyanya written requests on official Department of State Residences
letterhead addressed to Zimra regional manager authorising him to clear
Tapfuma’s personal vehicles while under the name of the Department of State
Residences.
The court heard that Gwanyanya provisionally cleared the
vehicles in Beitbridge and delivered them to Tapfuma at State House. It is
alleged that Tapfuma made an application to the Chief Secretary in the Office
of the President and Cabinet requesting for duty free certificates purporting
that the vehicles belonged to Government.
The duty free certificates were allegedly issued and
Tapfuma applied for duty exemption for the three vehicles at Zimra which was
granted.
He went on to register them at Central Vehicle Registry
under the name of the President’s Department and started using them for
personal use. The vehicles were supposed to pay duty of US$4 340.
On the third count, which occurred on August 13 2018
Tapfuma allegedly imported a batch of two personal vehicles from South Africa.
The court heard Tapfuma used the above modus operandi to
clear and register the vehicles and was supposed to pay US$4 416 as duty. Herald
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