By Mary Taruvinga

FLAMBOYANT businessman and socialite, Genius Kadungure better known as Ginimbi, was Friday denied bail by Deputy Chief Magistrate Chrispen Mberewere.

He was arrested this week facing charges of conniving with a Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) officer, Alexander Gumbo to doctor documents undervaluing his imported top-of-the-range vehicle in a bid to evade paying duty.

Mberewere ruled Kadungure had a propensity to commit more crimes since he committed the offence while on bail over similar allegations.

He was arrested in 2018 facing charges of duping the government $3.5 million in unpaid taxes. The case is pending and he is on a $2 000 bail.

“The accused has propensity to commit more crimes since he allegedly committed the offence while on remand for a similar offence,” said Mberewere before remanding Kadungure in remand prison to February 20.

Kadungure is facing fraud charges and ZIMRA is the complainant. According to the State, Kadungure bought his Bentley for $3 281 784, but he allegedly lied that the vehicle was worth $1 million.

“In 2019 accused went to LSM distributors and bought a Bentley for $3 281 784,” said Prosecutor George Manokore.

“When he arrived at the Beitbridge Post Zimbabwe side, accused connived with his agent Alexander Gumbo and forged the vehicle’s value to read $1. 9 million.

“They then scanned the forged documents before uploading them on the ZIMRA system for duty processing on December 22 last year,” the court heard.

It is alleged that ZIMRA acted upon the misrepresentation to charge duty of US$81 000 instead of US$139 665 leading to an actual prejudice of $58 665 to ZIMRA for the unpaid duty.