Cop takes on VID in court

Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Plumtree Correspondent
A POLICE officer based in Plumtree has dragged the Vehicle Inspection Department (VID) to court for allegedly unlawfully impounding his wife’s vehicle.

Mr Joe Bvumbu Mhakure through his lawyers Pindu and Company Legal Practitioners told Plumtree magistrate, Mr Taurai Manwere, that officers at the Plumtree VID depot impounded his wife’s vehicle while it was being driven by his friend.

They allegedly accused his friend of pirating.

“On 2 September I was on sick leave and I had travelled to Bulawayo to seek medical attention. I asked a friend of mine to collect my clothes from my house in Plumtree. I gave him my wife’s car and he used it to collect the clothes.

“On his way he picked up his two friends and went with them to Plumtree. He dropped his friends off near a robot intersection in Plumtree. He was then arrested by VID officers who accused him of pirating and they impounded the car,” he said.

Mr Mhakure said he was alerted about what had transpired and his friend was fined for dropping off passengers at an undesignated point.

He said after paying the fine he made a follow up with the VID requesting his vehicle to be released to no avail.

“I contacted the VID depot in Plumtree and they told me that I had to produce a vehicle registration book, pay a $20 inspection fee and produce an operator’s licence as the vehicle was impounded while being used as a public service vehicle.

“I tried to explain that I didn’t have an operator’s licence as the car was my wife’s personal car but they refused to entertain me,” Mr Mhakure said.

He pleaded with the court to order the VID to release his wife’s car as they were holding onto it illegally and this was inconveniencing his family.

Mr Manwere advised the VID department and Mr Mhakure’s lawyers to reach a settlement over the matter. Both parties consented to the car being released.

Mr Manwere ordered the vehicle to be released by consent and ordered Mr Mhakure to pay a $20 inspection fee to the VID.

@DubeMatutu