Moffat Mungazi
Lovemore Kadzura
Weekender Reporter
A HEADLANDS-BASED agricultural extension reportedly sold a company issued motorbike to an unsuspecting buyer to recover unpaid salaries.
This came out during a hearing at Chief Makoni’s community court recently where Fungai Dickson reported Joshua Chakuchichi, demanding to be refunded US$510 which he paid for the motorbike.
Dickson said after handing Chakuchichi the money, he became evasive when he enquired about the ownership papers.
After sometime, he said police approached him, and recovered the motorbike on behalf of the unnamed company.
Chakuchichi defaulted the hearing despite being served with court summons.
“I bought a motorbike, an SKM model from Joshua Chakuchichi. We agreed on the price, and gave him US$400 for the first installment, and US$110 was the balance. I asked him to avail the papers proving ownership of the motorbike, and he said he will only do so if I finish paying for it.
“I later fully paid for the motorbike, but still he did not release the papers. After sometime, I decided to sale the motorbike to someone. This is when the police officers came to my house informing me that I was selling a stolen motorbike.
“Police took the motorbike. I confronted Chakuchichi on why he sold me a stolen motorbike. This is when he revealed that the motorbike belonged to a company he used to work for as an extension worker. He claimed that he was not paid his dues, so he sold the motorbike to recover his unpaid salaries. He went on to blame me, saying I was wrong to handover the motorbike to the police.
“When he sold me the motorbike, he never revealed to me that it belonged to the company. He became evasive when I requested for a refund of my money. He blocked me on his phone, leaving me with no option, but to approach this court. I want him to return my money, which is US$510. There is a written agreement of sale between him and me, and the proof of the transfers I made to him. I was humiliated in the community when police officers came to recover the motorbike. People now view me as a suspicious person who buy stolen property,” he said.
The court found Chakuchichi guilty of selling property he did not own.
It ordered Chakuchichi to reimburse Dickson the US$510.
He was also ordered to meet the cost of the lawsuit which is US$80. The court further fined him three goats for defaulting the hearing.
Online Reporter