adminFarai Muvhirimi (20), of Number 1 Glengary Crescent in Glengary, stole a vehicle from his previous employer as he wanted to take his girlfriend on a ride on New Year’s Eve.
Muvhirimi, a mechanic by profession, was employed at Carb King Workshop at the corner of Robert Mugabe Way and 14th
Avenue but was fired on 1 December last year although he kept visiting the workshop because his father was still employed there as a mechanic.
Mr Gary Russel, of Stockil Hill Road in Kumalo, owns the workshop and is the complainant.
Muvhirimi took advantage of the trust the former employer still had in him through his father and stole a vehicle belonging to a client who had left it for repairs.
His tactics were well orchestrated as he stole the motor vehicle keys and kept them for one week before going back to steal the vehicle on New Year’s Eve.
He went on a cruise with his girlfriend, Ms Monalisa Chengetai Ndlovu, in Lobengula West until the car was involved in an accident when it rammed on the wall of Whatever Sports Club.
Muvhirimi appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Godwin Sengweni yesterday facing a charge of theft of a motor vehicle.
He was convicted on his own plea of guilty and was sentenced to an effective four years in prison.
Muvhirimi told the court he was not thinking straight when he stole the vehicle and up to now he did not know why he committed the offence.
The magistrate considered that Muvhirimi was a youthful first offender who had pleaded guilty thereby saving the court’s time and that the vehicle had been recovered.
But the magistrate said despite being a youthful offender, Muvhirimi had betrayed the trust bestowed on him and his father and therefore imprisonment remained the only suitable punishment.
The State’s case as presented by Mr Goodluck Katenaire was that on 24 December last year, Muvhirimi visited his father at his place of employment.
While there, he stole vehicle keys for a Toyota vehicle and kept them until 31 December when he went back to the workshop and used unknown means to gain entry.
While inside, he stole the Toyota Mark II vehicle and drove it to New Lobengula where he picked up Ms Ndlovu.
The two lovebirds drove around the suburb celebrating New Year’s Eve.
On New Year’s Day they drove to Whatever Sports Club in the same vehicle but their joy was short-lived as Muvhirimi rammed the vehicle on the building.
Security guards manning the premises that night later let go of him after he assured them he would leave the car and return the following day to talk to the owner of the building about the damages.
The vehicle, valued at $5 500, also suffered damages on the headlamp and dents on its front.
Mr Russel was phoned by one his employees who saw the vehicle.
Muvhirimi was arrested at Nkulumane Complex Terminus when he was about to board a bus, apparently to flee to Botswana and he was carrying a small bag with a few clothes.
Online Reporter