The Musina regional court has sentenced a former clearing agent and a former Sars customs officer at the Beitbridge border post to 15 years’ imprisonment each after finding them guilty of fraud, forgery and corruption.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said on Wednesday that Nthapeleng Adler Munyai and Tsumbedzo Priscilla Nemangani Mashito, both 47, were arrested for permitting a truck loaded with 614 boxes of semi-manufactured tobacco valued at R6m to enter the country from Zimbabwe, using forged consignment clearance documents.
The truck was stopped at the Musina weigh bridge by an officer of the Road Traffic Management Co-operation in March 2016 after noticing that the truck and trailers’ registration number plates did not correspond with the licence disks.
The truck was returned to the customs ramp for inspection.
Munyai, the former manager of Pamdozi Cargo International CC Clearing Agent, offered the witness a bribe of R50,000 while the two were still at the weighbridge for him not to cause the truck to be returned to the customs ramp for inspection.
Munyai also offered gratification of R200,000 to a customs official for him not to carry out an inspection of the truck when it was on the customs ramp.
It was found that Mashito, the former Sars customs official, had been instrumental in the processing of the truck and its consignment outside the normal and ordinary customs clearance process and procedures. Mashito had also misrepresented to her employer how the transaction relating to the truck was dealt with.
The court concluded the accused failed to present substantial and compelling circumstances warranting the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years for corruption.
The truck with its two trailers and 614 boxes of tobacco was forfeited to the state.
TimesLIVE
Fifteen years in jail for corrupt former clearing agent and customs official
The truck had 614 boxes of semi-manufactured tobacco from Zimbabwe
Image: 123RF/ ALLAN SWART
The Musina regional court has sentenced a former clearing agent and a former Sars customs officer at the Beitbridge border post to 15 years’ imprisonment each after finding them guilty of fraud, forgery and corruption.
National Prosecuting Authority spokesperson Mashudu Malabi-Dzhangi said on Wednesday that Nthapeleng Adler Munyai and Tsumbedzo Priscilla Nemangani Mashito, both 47, were arrested for permitting a truck loaded with 614 boxes of semi-manufactured tobacco valued at R6m to enter the country from Zimbabwe, using forged consignment clearance documents.
The truck was stopped at the Musina weigh bridge by an officer of the Road Traffic Management Co-operation in March 2016 after noticing that the truck and trailers’ registration number plates did not correspond with the licence disks.
The truck was returned to the customs ramp for inspection.
Munyai, the former manager of Pamdozi Cargo International CC Clearing Agent, offered the witness a bribe of R50,000 while the two were still at the weighbridge for him not to cause the truck to be returned to the customs ramp for inspection.
Munyai also offered gratification of R200,000 to a customs official for him not to carry out an inspection of the truck when it was on the customs ramp.
It was found that Mashito, the former Sars customs official, had been instrumental in the processing of the truck and its consignment outside the normal and ordinary customs clearance process and procedures. Mashito had also misrepresented to her employer how the transaction relating to the truck was dealt with.
The court concluded the accused failed to present substantial and compelling circumstances warranting the court to deviate from imposing the prescribed minimum sentence of 15 years for corruption.
The truck with its two trailers and 614 boxes of tobacco was forfeited to the state.
TimesLIVE
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