Zim illegal immigrants charged with smuggling cigarettes

Lebogang Mosikare | Thursday August 21, 2014 12:13

The state alleges that Busani Ndlovu, Fundani Sibanda both aged 19 and Nicolas Ncube, 55, failed to declare goods at Matsiloje border contrary to the Customs and Excise duties act.

The state alleges further that the three men were found in possession of 749 cartons of Sivelles cigarettes, which were acquired outside Botswana without any declaration certificate.

The men pleaded guilty to the charges.

Sergeant Ronny Mmuso of the Botswana Police objected to the accused being granted bail. Mmuso said Ndlovu and Sibanda did not have passports to enable them to be in the county legally.

“Our investigations are still continuing. Although Ncube has a valid passport we fear that if he is released on bail he may not stand trial since he was arrested while on transit from Botswana,” said Mmuso.

Mmuso further said that police investigations will take some time to complete because they involve the police and Botswana Unified Revenue Services (BURS).

He added: “We will consider giving conditional bail to Ncube in the next mention after our investigations are complete.”

Ndlovu and Sibanda told the court that they had nothing to say concerning Mmuso’s application for them to be remanded in custody pending investigations.

Ncube applied to be given bail because he has relatives in Botswana and will not abscond from trial as the police have alleged.

He asked the court for help to contact his family members in Botswana and Zimbabwe because they did not know of his whereabouts.

Ncube added that it was vital for him to inform his relatives about his whereabouts because one of their accomplices had died in Botswana while he was trying to run away from the police.

Mulalu ruled that the accused should appear for mention on September 2. He said Ncube should avail sureties so that he can be granted bail.

When approached outside court, Mmuso declined to give details regarding the death of the other Zimbabwean accomplice. He only said that the matter was sensitive and the information could be sought at the accused’s next mention.