Two Home Affairs Immigrations Officers from South Africa and a Zimbabwean, who were arrested at Beitbridge Post for allegedly attempting to smuggle 100 pieces of ivory ornaments and 412 boxes of Zimbabwean cigarettes, valued at R30 000, have been sentenced to an effective eight months imprisonment in Zimbabwe.

The three are Jacob Martin Venter (34), Ndwamato Lukoto (49), both employed at the Home Affairs Department at Makhado and a Zimbabwean, Takawira Mahachi (29).

The court found that, on May 18 this year at around 18:00, Venter and Lukoto went to Beitbridge town in Zimbabwe, driving a Home Affairs truck carrying illegal Zimbabwean immigrants from Makhado. After off-loading the deportees at the Beitbridge police station in Zimbabwe, the two then met Mahachi. They planned to smuggle the cigarettes and ivory ornaments, using the Home Affairs truck. In the process, it was testified, Venter and Lukoto were to get R1 800 as a kickback. They then went to Mahachi's house, where they loaded the loot and covered it with blankets, after which they drove to Beitbridge border post on their way back to South Africa.

Acting on a tip-off, Zimbabwean police descended on them and the truck was intercepted at the exit gate. A search was conducted, leading to the discovery of the contraband hidden at the back of the Home Affairs truck and the trio was subsequently arrested.

Their legal representative, Adv Samson Mulaudzi, has since applied for bail, pending an appeal against the sentence, as he felt the three do not deserve a custodial sentence.

Speaking on behalf of the Provincial Department of Home Affairs, Mr Sam Moremi, said that when the two officials are released from the Zimbabwean prison, they will go through departmental disciplinary hearings. He said that as the criminal procedure is not the same as the administrative procedure; there would also be administrative investigations against the two. “I wish this would serve as a lesson to other Home Affairs employees that crime has never paid and it will never pay. If you do crime, not only your name and that of the department will be tarnished, but also the names of your relatives, family and friends in the village you are living in,” he said.