Legends of Kebab Restaurant director Edmore Zviitwah has appeared in court on allegations of smuggling vehicles and concealing this by affixing them with a set of registration numbers which belong to the Counter Intelligence Department in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
Zviitwah (52) popularly known as “Eddie Kebab” was facing fraud charges when he appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei.
He was granted US$200 bail.
It is the State’s case that sometime during the period between the year 2019 and 2020, accused acting in common purpose with Philemon Zviitwah who is already on remand hatched a plan to smuggle a Toyota Quantum motor vehicle into the country.
On a date unknown to the prosecutor but during the above mentioned period, the pair smuggled a Toyota Quantum motor vehicle into Zimbabwe and tempered with motor vehicle chassis and engine numbers.On January 11 2020, Zviitwah in a bid to blur the trace proceeded to Joseph Tendai Musakwa who is a car breaker at Gazaland Shopping Centre, Highfield, Harare and bought a body shell of a Toyota Hiace silver in colour with registration number ADC 9451, chassis number KDH200-0043491 which had no engine and registered in the name of Benedictor Kanosvamhira.
Philemon Zviitwah signed the Agreement of Sale and acquired the vehicle body shell and its registration book.
Equipped with the acquired registration book, Zviitwah proceeded to the Central Vehicle Registry where he misrepresented the actual facts and applied for change of vehicle number plates in respect of ADC 9451.
As a result of the misrepresentation Zviitwah was issued with a new vehicle registration book under certificate number C0001072483, registration number plates AFG 0224.
The court heard that Zviitwah later on affixed the number plates AFG 0224 on the smuggled Toyota Quantum white in colour with obliterated chassis and engine number.
The smuggled motor vehicle affixed with fraudulently acquired registration number plates is currently held as an exhibit.
It is the State’s contention that the accused smuggled the vehicle and did the fraudulent activities in order to evade paying duty.
On count two the court heard that sometime during the period between 2017 and 2018, Zviitwah hatched a plan to smuggle a HI Hyundai van, motor vehicle into the country.
On a date unknown to the prosecutor but during or about the year s 2018, Zviitwah smuggled a HI Hyundai with obliterated chassis number into Zimbabwe.
In an effort to conceal the illicit deal he affixed the vehicle with a set of registration number plates AFE 6334 which belongs to Counter Intelligence Department in the Office of the President and Cabinet of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
When Zviitwah affixed the said registration plates on the vehicle, he well knew that the vehicle was not supposed to be affixed with such registration plates but intended to rob the Government in taxes and also affecting the good administration of the Central Vehicle Registration system.
The HI Hyundal was recovered from Zviitwah.
Source:Nehanda Radio
