A company director and a clearing agent have appeared in court for allegedly evading more than ZiG372,000 in import duty and VAT after falsely declaring a consignment of artificial flowers and vehicle spares as duty-exempt agricultural equipment.
Ian Genesesi, 31, director of Gemoian Enterprises, trading as G&M Group (Pvt) Ltd, and Michael Makonye, 36, director of With You Customs, appeared before Harare Regional Magistrate Fadzai Mthombeni facing charges of fraud, forgery, false representation and smuggling.
They were remanded to next month for commencement of trial.
The complainant is the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), represented by revenue supervisor Edward Shana.
According to State allegations, in November 2024, Genesesi, through Gemoian Enterprises, purchased 698 cartons of various goods weighing 25,080kg from Shenzhen Hengmansheng Trading Co Ltd in China.
The consignment comprised artificial flowers, decorative balls, vegetable racks, lights, rice containers, vehicle spares and machinery, among other goods.
On December 10, 2024, the goods were loaded into a CMA CGM container and sealed under seal number R6004907 at Nansha Port in China for transportation to Beira, Mozambique, and subsequently to Harare.
An original bill of lading, packing list and charge list were issued, with Genesesi listed as both the consignee and notify party.
The court heard that when the consignment arrived at Beira Port in February 2025, Genesesi allegedly connived with Makonye to evade payment of duty.
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The two allegedly created a fake bill of lading and invoice describing the consignment as agricultural equipment, including shellers, weeders, a cultipacker and harvesters, knowing that such equipment was exempt from import duty in Zimbabwe.
On February 28, 2025, With You Customs allegedly processed the ZIMRA clearance under bill of entry number C6935, declaring the consignment as agricultural implements.
As a result, ZIMRA allegedly exempted the goods from import duty and VAT amounting to ZiG372,625.82 and US$1,478.78.
The consignment was subsequently transported from Beira and passed through Forbes Border Post in Mutare without a physical examination before being released for delivery to Gemoian Enterprises in Harare, where it was allegedly distributed to clients.
The alleged fraud was uncovered during post-clearance audits conducted by ZIMRA's Loss Control Department, which established that the consignment had been falsely declared.
The matter was subsequently referred to the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) for investigation.
On August 26, 2025, ZACC investigators, accompanied by ZIMRA officials, conducted physical checks at the accused persons' business premises at 48 Kenneth Kaunda Avenue in Harare.
The State alleges that no agricultural implements or records relating to agricultural equipment were found at the premises.
ZIMRA is alleged to have suffered actual prejudice amounting to ZiG372,625.82 and US$1,478.78, which would have been payable had the consignment been correctly declared.
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