HARARE: A senior State security agent and his accomplice who are facing charges of smuggling a motor vehicle from South Africa into the country had their matter postponed to October 5 last week.
Abdul Ishmael (30) and Mbereki Mbizvo Nyathi (44) had their dockets merged with those for Samson Marufu and Hillary Nduna who are also facing charges of theft of a motor vehicle.
Harare magistrate Mrs Bianca Makwande postponed the matter to October 5 after the State had submitted that it would then be ready to furnish the suspects with a trial date.
Admire Rubaya, who is representing the suspects, gave the State notice of his intention to apply for refusal of further remand on the next hearing if it fails to provide a trial date.
Prosecuting, Mr Peter Kachirika alleged that sometime in January 2015, the two, acting in common purpose, connived with Hillary Nduna and their other accomplice based in South Africa to steal a BMW 320D and brought it to Zimbabwe.
It is alleged that Ishmael fraudulently obtained a registration book from the Central Vehicle Registry after fraudulently registering it. The court heard that the duo evaded the payment of import duty to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority. It is the State’s case that the vehicle was taken to Nyathi’s residence for safekeeping.
The court heard that Nyathi took advantage of the fact that he was a senior State security agent and started using the stolen motor vehicle.