Car dealer nabbed in fake registration books scandal

The car dealer, Mr Binary Mnkandla of Skyview Car Sales along Main Street, has since been arrested for defrauding Zimra of an undisclosed amount through the scam.
The police spokesperson for Bulawayo Province, Inspector Mandlenkosi Moyo yesterday confirmed the development.
A source close to the investigations said Mnkandla illegally avoided paying the mandatory five percent levy that should be paid to Zimra for change of vehicle ownership, when he obtained registration books for his clients.
“Somehow, he got his hands on blank vehicle registration books. He would take his clients’ unregistered vehicles and put the details of the vehicle on the blank books. Mnkandla would then quote old number plates on the fake books and register the books as duplicates,” said the source.
The source said Mnkandla made a false Central Vehicle Registry (CVR) stamp, which he used to stamp the documents.
“He would then go to the Bulawayo City Council Revenue Hall and say he was changing licence plates from the old type to the new. Through this method, he would then get new plates and registration books for his clients. It is believed that hundreds of motorists in the city were unknowingly assisted to get vehicle registration books by Mnkandla because his car dealership always has swarms of clients,” said the source.
Inspector Moyo said people who were assisted to get registration books by the accused should approach the Bulawayo Criminal Investigations Department (CID)’s Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS) to regularise the registration of their vehicles or risk losing them when police impound them at roadblocks.
He said so far, police had identified 10 victims of the fraud.
“We have also found five vehicles that were allegedly unlawfully registered by the accused. We have a Mazda B2200, whose registration number is ACG 9142, a Mazda B1600, licence plate ACG 9143, three Datsuns, a 120Y with registration number ACG 9144, an 1800 LWB, number plate ACG 9155 and an L521 registered ACG 9150,” said Insp Moyo.
He said it was important for affected motorists to take the warning seriously.
Insp Moyo said those who got registration books through Mnkandla should contact the officer-in-charge at CID VTS, Detective Inspector Machinga at (09) 64047 or cell number 0772 478 666.
“Alternatively they can contact Detective Assistant Inspector Mumpande on 0772 974 270,” he said.
Mnkandla is on remand facing five counts of fraud.