A former Beitbridge Border Post official has been convicted for assisting a Truck full of semi-manufactured tobacco products to pass through the border from Zimbabwe. This was done without any clearance or documentation in 2016.

Nthapeleng Munyai [47] and the former Clearing Agent, Tsumbedzo Nemaangani (46) were convicted of fraud and corruption by the Musina Regional Court on 30 June 2023.

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The truck was stopped by the Cross Border Road Traffic Agency at the weighbridge. The driver produced forged documents that did not match the details of the truck.

The truck was diverted back to Beitbridge Border Post for physical inspection. During this process, the driver ran away and the clearing agent left the scene.

The truck was physically inspected, and semi-manufactured tobacco products valued at over R6 million were found loaded inside the truck. Preliminary investigation revealed that the load was undeclared at Customs.

A case of fraud was opened at Musina police station. It was handed to the Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigation for further handling.

The accused were later arrested by the Polokwane-based Hawks’ Serious Commercial Crime Investigators. Both accused appeared in the Musina Magistrate Court and were released on bail.

BEITBRIDGE BORDER POST OFFICIAL CONVICTED

The investigations were processed until they were both convicted as follows:

Accused number 1: Nthapeleng Munyai was convicted for Fraud, Forgery, Corruption and Corruption.

The case was remanded to 13 September 2023 for pre-sentence proceedings.

Accused number 2, Tsumbedzo Neaangani was only convicted of fraud. The case was remanded to 13 September 2023 for pre-sentence proceedings. Both accused are also out with their extended bail.