Zimbabweans Sentenced to 10,939 years imprisonment for Tax Fraud in South Africa

Three Zimbabwean individuals are among a syndicate of nine people who have been sentenced to a total of 10,939 years in prison by the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria, South Africa. The syndicate was found guilty of defrauding tax authorities of R300 million. The Zimbabweans received effective sentences of 65 years each for two of them, while the third Zimbabwean will serve 15 years. They were convicted on multiple charges, including money laundering, fraud, forgery, and other offenses related to unlawful activities.

Jeremiah Nyasha Musiwacho Dube, aged 59, was sentenced to 3,376 years imprisonment but will serve 65 years. Mavudzi Maxwell Ndlovu, also 59, received a sentence of 3,272 years but will serve 65 years due to mitigating circumstances. Edward Shoniwa, aged 56, was sentenced to 168 years but will serve only 15 years considering the mitigating circumstances. Christopher Dube, another Zimbabwean involved in the syndicate, absconded just before conviction, and a warrant of arrest has been issued for him.

Among the accused, two South African females, Bonisiwe Prizzer Ndlovu (52) and Thabile Octavia Nkosi (51), died during the trial, while two South African males, Mfanafuthi Daniel Khanyile (47) and Adam Michael Phiri (42), turned state witnesses.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the accused were members of registered entities and fraudulently submitted value-added tax (VAT) returns on behalf of these entities, claiming undue VAT refunds from the South African Revenue Services (SARS). They forged and presented invoices to SARS to support their claims, and the refunds were then transferred to various bank accounts controlled by the accused.

Investigations revealed that the entities involved were not conducting any business during the period in question and did not incur any expenses that would warrant a VAT refund, resulting in a prejudice of R300 million to SARS.

The court ordered that the accused serve a maximum of 65 years, taking into consideration mitigating circumstances. Rebecca Dube, a South African female, was sentenced to 1,596 years imprisonment but will serve 25 years. Moliehi Constance Ramone, a Lesotho female, received a sentence of 953 years but will serve 15 years. Zamaswazi Audrey Radebe, a South African female, was sentenced to 73 years but will serve 5 years. Bongani Mbonani, a South African male, was sentenced to 57 years but will serve 5 years.