BY REX MPHISA
A BEITBRIDGE magistrate has impounded R8,4 million worth of Abalone shellfish, which is believed to constitute part of the evidence in an on-going smuggling case despite that the High Court had cleared it.
Last Friday, the Beitbridge Magistrates Court issued a search warrant in terms of section 50(1)(a)(b) of the Criminal Procedure and Evidence Act (Chapter 9:07) which allowed the police to search the importer, Don’t Young Rock Kasase, or anyone acting on behalf of the company, and to seize the consignment.
The shell fish was contained in 81 boxes, each weighing 21,6 kilogrammes.
“From information given upon oath that there are reasonable grounds for believing that there is in possession or control of Don’t Young Rock Kasase, or certain article(s), that is to say 81×21,6 kilogrammes of abalone which it is on reasonable grounds believed may afford evidence of the commission or suspected commission of contravening the Parks and Wildlife Act SI76/1998, Control of Wildlife Trophies,” reads the order signed and stamped at Beitbridge Magistrates’ Court.
Kasase was last week arrested by border authorities at Beitbridge who seized his consignment of abalone shellfish worth R8,4 million on its way from South Africa to Zambia via Zimbabwe.
The consignment was hidden under a load of noodles that had been declared by the importer on Wednesday.
On Friday, High Court judge Justice Webster Chinamora through order number HH 332972 of Harare High Court case number HC 3535/21 had released the abalone shellfish to Kasase’s agent Hubert Kasongo Mbwembwe following an application by his lawyers, Samukange and Hungwe.
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Kasase had paid a deposit of US$10 000 as security through his lawyers.
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