Tambudzai Yvonne Musoni: Former Official Accused of Facilitating Illegal Vehicle Imports At Border Posts Flees

Former Zimbabwe Revenue Authority official Tambudzai Yvonne Musoni, currently on the run, is suspected of fleeing to the US, UK, or Canada. Musoni has been barred from selling or transferring her family house at Mabvazuva Estate and had US$47,500 in school fees frozen by the State, pending a civil forfeiture order.

Musoni allegedly facilitated ineligible individuals in obtaining civil servants’ rebate letters under a 2019 motor vehicle scheme, enabling them to import vehicles without paying import duty.

Most car imports facilitated by Musoni were done via well known Beitbridge and Musina (Messina) car sales agencies operating across the Zimbabwe-South Africa border post.

Several of Musoni’s collaborators have been arrested and prosecuted, but she remains a fugitive. The Prosecutor-General recently secured a High Court order to freeze Musoni’s assets, including US$28,625 in Watershed College’s bank accounts and US$18,940 in Lusitania Primary School’s accounts, intended for her children’s school fees.

Musoni and her husband, Melusi, purchased a property at Mabvazuva Estate for US$30,208, now valued at US$150,000. The property was transferred to The Tamel Family Trust, likely to obscure ownership.

Investigations revealed Musoni deposited over US$36,000 into Watershed College’s account and US$18,000 into Lusitania Primary School’s account for her children’s school fees, raising suspicions of money laundering. ZIMRA sought a restraining order against the disposal of these assets.

If arrested and convicted, Musoni’s assets can be seized. Even without criminal proceedings, civil actions can result in asset forfeiture if the property is proven to be acquired dishonestly. The High Court order, issued by Justice Benjamin Chikowero, prevents the couple from disposing of the house or retrieving the school fees. The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission is tasked with serving the order within 21 days.

Musoni resigned in April last year and is accused of confirming fake rebate letters used at several border posts by purported civil servants. She did not declare any immovable property, but investigations revealed she and her husband acquired the property in Mabvazuva Township in 2018, now valued at US$150,000. Further investigations showed large cash deposits into school accounts, raising suspicions of money laundering. ZIMRA sought a restraining order to prevent the disposal of these assets.

Even if Musoni avoids criminal proceedings by remaining abroad, civil action can still be pursued to seize the assets on the balance of probabilities that they were acquired dishonestly.