Durban - A Zimbabwean truck driver found guilty of smuggling explosives into the country has been handed a 15 year jail term.
The Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation in Limpopo said the accused, Alois Kamwaza was convicted this week in the Musina Magistrate’s Court.
The incident took place on July 22, this year.
“Kamwaza was en-route from Zimbabwe to South Africa when he was stopped by the Border Police at Beitbridge Port of Entry.
“The police subjected a truck to mandatory search and they made a shocking discovery of the explosives that were hidden inside the tools box at the back of his truck.
“The driver was interviewed and it was established that the explosives were destined for Gauteng province,” explained provincial Hawks spokesperson, Captain Matimba Maluleke.
He said the explosives, 779 units of blasting cartridges and three reels of detonating fuse, valued at approximately R200 000 were seized and he was subsequently arrested.
He remained in custody until his conviction and sentence, the Hawks added.
In another incident, an undocumented foreign national was also sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for unlawful possession of explosives.
Maluleke said in May this year, members of the South African National Defence Force saw a suspicious man walking at Beitbridge Port of Entry.
They approached him and found 489 units of blasting cartridges with a value of R146 700.
The accused, Wilman Mwando, 40, was arrested and also convicted and sentenced recently to 15 years behind bars.
“Mwando was also found guilty for failing to use the port of entry to enter RSA and for entering and remaining in RSA without legal documentation.
“He was further fined R5 000 or three months imprisonment on each offence,” he said.
IOL