Douglas Emmanuel Jekanyika and Godknows Gunda initially accused of smuggling 30 guns worth US$14,000 into Zimbabwe faced lesser charges when it was discovered that the “firearms” were actually toys valued at R2000.
Police had initially intended to charge the pair with illegal possession of firearms, but changed course upon realizing the true nature of the items.
The toy guns were intended for training security guards at a company owned by one of the defendants.
Douglas Emmanuel Jekanyika, 44, of Belvedere in Harare, and Godknows Gunda, 31, of Msasa, appeared in court and will return for bail considerations.
According to court proceedings, detectives from CID Southerton received a tip-off on March 5 alleging that the two had smuggled firearms from South Africa through Beitbridge Border Post via Tems Logistics Bus Services. They were purportedly destined for Highglen Road Port in Harare.
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Acting on the information, detectives arrested Jekanyika as he collected two boxes. Upon inspection, one box contained ten F92 toy guns, while the other held 20,000 blank pistol ammunition rounds.
During questioning, Jekanyika implicated Gunda as the owner of the consignment.
Subsequent investigation by CID Homicide confirmed that the items were indeed toys.
In another story, Douglas Emmanuel Jekanyika (43) was apprehended in connection with the operation, which involved a significant haul of illicit firearms and ammunition intercepted by the police as it was smuggled into Zimbabwe from South Africa aboard a cross-border bus.
While Jekanyika is now in custody, authorities are actively pursuing his accomplice, Godknows Gunda, who remains at large.
The seizure, comprising 30 pistols, 30 empty magazines, and 1,700 rounds of ammunition, was made following the bus’s arrival at the High Glen Bus Terminus in Harare on a Monday afternoon….read in full
