adminThandeka Moyo Court Reporter
A businessman has been convicted of car theft and fined $1,000 after he sold a vehicle belonging to his business partner.
Tonderai Chakamanga, 29, duped Hetnesh Patel who is a co-director of Zambezi Filling Station in Victoria Falls and sold his vehicle for $4, 000.
Regional magistrate Chrispen Mberewere convicted Chakamanga saying the State had proved its case beyond doubt.
“In coming up with your sentence the court was lenient since the circumstances of the crime were less aggravatory. Car theft is a serious crime and therefore you will pay a fine in the sum of $1, 000 or face imprisonment,” said magistrate Mberewere.
In his defence, Chakamanga argued that he did not sell the car to anyone as Stanley Mukoma, the alleged buyer, was only a transporter.
“He is my gas transporter and at one time we agreed to use the vehicle as a way of cutting transport costs. My colleague is fabricating this information to fix me,” he said.
Trust Muduma for the State told the court that on an unknown date in February 2013, Chakamanga was instructed by Patel to collect the Nissan vehicle and repair it.
The two men agreed that the car would be used for business at Zambezi Filling Station jointly owned by the two.
Chakamanga collected the vehicle and took it for repairs. Contrary to the conditions, he unlawfully sold it to Stanley Mukoma for $4, 000.
The offence was discovered on August 25 when Patel visited the company and discovered that the vehicle was no longer there.
Bongani Moyo
Online Reporter