A former Beitbridge Border Post official, Nthapeleng Munyai (47), and a former clearing agent, Tsumbedzo Nemahangani (46), were convicted on charges of fraud and corruption by the Musina Regional Court on 30 June.
According to a press release issued by the Limpopo Hawks, Nthapeleng colluded with Nemaungani in March 2016 to assist a truck full of semi-manufactured tobacco products to pass through the border from Zimbabwe into South Africa without any clearance or documentation.
"The truck was stopped by the Cross Border Road Traffic Agency at the weigh bridge and 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 Hawks' statement reads.
The truck was physically inspected and semi-manufactured tobacco products valued at more than R6 million were found loaded inside the truck. Preliminary investigations revealed that the load had not been declared at Customs.
A case docket of fraud was opened at Musina Police Station, after which the Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigation Unit received it. "The accused were later arrested by the Polokwane-based Hawks' Serious Commercial Crime Investigators. Both accused appeared in the Musina Magistrate's Court and were released on bail," the Hawks' statements reads.
Munyai was convicted of one count of fraud, one count of forgery and three counts of corruption. Nemahangani was only convicted of fraud. Both accused are currently out on extended bail. Their cases were postponed to 13 September for pre-sentence proceedings to start.