A POLICEWOMAN’S opportunity to benefit from the civil servant rebate scheme has been shattered after a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) sting operation revealed that her agent imported her car using forged documents in 2022.
The Zimra operation targeting fraudulently imported vehicles under the civil servants vehicle rebate scheme led to the seizure of the vehicle by taxmen while the car dealer, Paul Jamu (38), is in the dock.
Jamu appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei charged with fraud involving US$3 183 and was remanded in custody to August 15 this year.
Prosecutor Anesu Chirenje told the court that on November 7, 2021, Getmore Mundandi, a policewoman, bought a Honda fit from Japan and applied for a rebate under the civil servant rebate scheme through her line ministry.
Chirenje told the court that on December 21, 2021, Mundandi was granted authority to import the vehicle by the Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion ministry under the civil servant rebate scheme.
Mundandi allegedly engaged Jamu to assist with acquiring a rebate letter from Zimra. The court heard that Jamu, however, decided to defraud Zimra by forging a civil servant rebate letter in the name of Mundandi.
He allegedly forged the letter in December 2021 and used it in January 2022 at Kariba Border Post, where he presented it to a Zimra official purporting that it was genuine.
The court heard that the official went on to allow the motor vehicle to be imported. — NewsDay