The ManicaPost
Liberty DubePost Correspondent
THE 37-year-old Malawian truck driver who was arrested last Thursday at Forbes Border Post with 889kg of mbanje was remanded in custody to May 13.
Alfred Masonyenzo Manjakawawa pleaded not guilty when he appeared before senior Mutare magistrate, Mr Langton Mukwengi last Friday.
Mr Fletcher Karombe prosecuted.
The court heard that detectives received a tip-off that there was a haulage truck which was coming from Malawi enroute to South Africa on April 28 carrying contraband of mbanje.
Detectives proceeded to Forbes Border Post and found a South African registered truck, Registration Number VRC326GP with also a Malawian Registration Number MZ4494 undergoing the clearance process.
His papers revealed that he had a consignment of 1 200 bags of wheat being transported from Malawi to South Africa.
Zimra officials were told to thoroughly search the truck. The truck was taken to VMS warehouse along Beira Road for thorough searching.
Zimra officials and detectives recovered the 38 bags of mbanje that were concealed underneath the seat.
He was arrested.
Mr Mukwengi remanded Manjakawawa in custody arguing that he was a flight risk and a foreigner. He said the accused was facing a serious offence which attracts a lengthy custodial sentence.
