Talent Chiwenga, a popular street preacher who survived a car crash that killed his wife in June last year, was allegedly detained at the Forbes Border Post in Mutare after failing to declare several goods, prosecutors said.
The incident allegedly happened on December 11 last year, but he was only formally charged when he appeared before Mutare magistrate Nottbulgar Muchineripi on Tuesday.
He was released on $400 bail and remanded to March 11.
Perseverance Musukuto, for the prosecution, said Chiwenga – who has publicly claimed that he is a cousin to Vice President Constantino Chiwenga – cleared immigration formalities upon returning from Mozambique but failed to declare and pay duty for five Kenwood two-way communication radios, solar battery chargers and teargas injectors.
“A Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) official later asked the accused to take his goods for scanning, where it was discovered that the goods were not declared, which then led to his arrest,” said Musukuto.
Chiwenga, who was represented by Advocate Tariro Paul Machiridza, was not asked to plead to charges of contravening a section of the Customs and Excise Act.
The preacher regularly criticises Mnangagwa for mismanaging the economy in videos posted on YouTube.
