HARARE – A licences clerk at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has been arrested for alleged criminal abuse of office after she allegedly illegally stamped fake expiry dates on import licences that she issued to cement firm, LaFarge.
Luscious Chari, 32, appeared before Harare magistrate Rumbidzai Mugwagwa on Friday.
She was ordered to pay $100 bail and remanded to October 24.
The complainant is the Ministry being represented by the chief economist in the department of enterprise and development, Benard Manatsa.
Prosecuting Ropafadzo Bostch alleged that on January 18, LaFarge Cement Private Limited was granted the authority to import 50,000 metric tonnes of cement.
It was issued with two separate import licence numbers which were all expiring on August 29 and September 30.
Sometime in August, LaFarge approached their agent Freight World Private Limited asking them to make renewals as both licences were about to expire.
On August 10, Freight world visited the Ministry of Industry and Commerce offices which are located at Mukwati Building with the intent to make the renewals.
They approached Chari who allegedly corruptly and endorsed new expiry dates on the licences while knowing that the licences are non-renewable.
To authenticate the dates, Chari allegedly unlawfully date stamped the licences using the official office date stamp.
On September 13, Freight world unknowingly produced the altered licences at the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) Forbes boarder post in a bid to clear cement on behalf of LaFarge.
An alert ZIMRA official noticed an irregularity on the licence and police were called.
