How a ZIMRA insider turned rebate letters into a customs fraud pipeline
The High Court has ordered the forfeiture of 16 vehicles and US$37,000 linked to customs fraud orchestrated by a former Zimbabwe Revenue Authority official, exposing how insider access can be exploited to undermine state revenue systems.
Judges Chikowero and Kwenda partially granted a civil forfeiture order under the Money Laundering and Proceeds of Crime Act after finding that the assets were proceeds of unlawful activity.
The case centres on Tambudzai Yvonne Musoni, a former Office Administration Assistant at the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority.
Between January 2022 and March 2023, Musoni generated and confirmed fraudulent rebate letters—documents used to exempt certain imports from customs duty.
The court found that the letters were used to import vehicles without paying duty, resulting in significant losses to the state.
The scheme operated over more than a year, pointing to sustained abuse rather than an administrative error.
Rebate systems rely heavily on internal controls and trust; once an insider is able to create and validate documentation, downstream checks at ports of entry can be rendered ineffective.
The matter was investigated by the Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission and referred for civil forfeiture proceedings.
Unlike criminal prosecutions, civil forfeiture targets the unlawful proceeds themselves, allowing the state to recover assets even where criminal cases are ongoing or unresolved.
While the forfeiture sends a message that illicit enrichment will not be protected by bureaucracy, the case also highlights deeper institutional weaknesses.
Musoni did not hold a senior position, yet was able to abuse internal systems for over a year without detection.
For a
country where customs duties are a critical revenue stream, the lesson is clear: corruption at the border does not always begin at the checkpoint. Sometimes, it starts inside the institution itself—on official letterhead.She was not alone the net should be widened to her seniors
