The Zimbabwe Republic Police has appeared disinterested in getting a gold smuggling suspect extradited from South Africa.
Mr Tashinga Nyasha Masinire (33), was caught at Oliver Tambo Airport with 23 pieces of gold after landing from Zimbabwe.
Instead of boldly reporting the crime, the Herald newspaper stated that “the gold might have been smuggled through the country’s biggest airport,” just as the Zimbabwe Republic Police in a statement indicated that they are not interested in pursuing an extradition order.
Previously, the police has passed extradition requests for politicians the likes of the exiled Saviour Kasukuwere, and Jonathan Moyo.
The ZRP claimed they promise they will leave no stone unturned in establishing how Masinire sneaked out of the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport undetected, only to be arrested in South Africa.
Even Home Affairs and Cultural Heritage Minister Kazembe Kazembe was mute on the possibility of an extradition request.
Kazembe claimed heads will roll at the RGM International Airport where it’s suspected a syndicate could have aided the smuggler’s exit.
“We are going to leave no stone unturned in finding out what happened. We want to know how this man left the country with all that gold. So far we have established that when he walked in at the RGM International Airport (on Sunday) he didn’t have a bag, now we want to establish who gave him that bag, where, and how. Investigations are ongoing, as I said, I am confident we will unearth what transpired on the day as soon as possible, working with our Interpol colleagues,” he said.
Since the smuggler was nailed in South Africa, Minister Kazembe said Zimbabwe is closely working with Interpol to get to the bottom of the matter.
“Investigations are ongoing; our police are in contact with Interpol because the person in question was caught in South Africa. However, here investigations are also being done thoroughly. We will get to the bottom of all this,” he said.
The Civil Aviation is in charge of security at the RGM International Airport, with the police at standby at a police post in the precincts of the airport for back-up.
There are also concerns that gold smugglers might have upped their game following the arrest, seven months ago, of Zimbabwe Miners Federation president Henrietta Rushwaya who was nabbed at the same port with 6kgs of gold worth US$366 destined for Dubai, after canners blipped.
Her case is still pending at the courts. In the latest case, insiders at the airport said someone could have aided Masinire by helping him by-pass the scanners. His luck later ran out at the Oliver Tambo International Airport where the customs section of the South African Revenue Service (SARS) busted him leading to his arrest.
He had not declared the goods and did not have a permit to transport the gold. South Africa’s anti-organised crime unit, the Hawks was alerted and he was arrested. He is facing charges of contravening the Customs Act 91 of 1964 and Precious Metals Act 37 of 2005.
Masinire has since appeared in the Kempton Park regional court in Gauteng province and granted R100 000 bail and ordered not to leave the country until the matter has been finalised.
Masinire was also ordered to report at any nearest police station three times per week. – Additional Reporting / Herald