adminAndile Tshuma, Court Reporter
A BOGUS Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) officer has been arraigned for allegedly swindling a 54-year-old Bulawayo woman of $600 after promising to help her get back her impounded motor vehicle in Harare.
Effort Mthunzi (25) of Entumbane suburb on Thursday last week appeared before Western Commonage magistrate Mr Stephen Ndlovu charged with theft of trust property. He was not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody to tomorrow.
Prosecuting, Mr Brian Nkala said Mthunzi promised his friend’s aunt Ms Judith Nzima of Emganwini suburb in April last year that he was going to help her get her car which had been impounded by the VID in Harare.
“On April 5, 2016, the accused person was given $610 by the complainant which he was supposed to pay to VID officers in Harare to secure the release of the vehicle.
“He was also supposed to process an operator’s licence. The accused person converted the money to his own use and did not fulfill the agreement,” said the prosecutor.
The court heard that Ms Nzima eventually went to Harare VID offices and paid a fine for the release of her vehicle and obtained an operator’s licence.
The money in question was not recovered.
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Sidumisile Mabena