A 33-year-old Zambian national, Joseph Phiri, has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by the Harare Magistrates’ Court after being found in possession of 3,118 grams of gold without a licence, in contravention of the Gold Trade Act.
The court heard that on 28 October 2025, detectives received a tip-off that Phiri intended to smuggle gold from Zimbabwe into Zambia via the Chirundu One Stop Border Post.
Acting on the information, officers intercepted him at Makuti Lodges along the Harare–Chirundu highway. He was driving a Toyota Mark X with Zambian registration plates.
A search of the vehicle revealed three gold bars concealed beneath the seat-belt winder. The gold, later weighed at 3,118 g by the CID Major Fraud and Financial Crimes Unit (MFFU) in Harare and assayed by Fidelity Gold Refiners, was seized.
Phiri was unable to produce any permit or licence authorising possession of the gold and was immediately arrested. The gold has since been forfeited to the State.
The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said illegal gold trafficking fuels organised crime networks and drains national revenue.
Zimbabwe will continue to strengthen surveillance along highways and at border posts, the NPA added, warning that anyone attempting to smuggle strategic minerals will face swift and severe penalties.
Pindula WhatsApp Channel
Facebook Page
Leave a Reply