Moffat Mungazi
Lovemore Kadzura
Weekender Reporter
AN estranged Rusape couple has locked horns over the ownership of a Mazda Atenza vehicle acquired during their short-lived marriage, with both parties claiming ownership of the vehicle.
The ex-husband, Vincent Gwengwere of Nyanga Drive, Rusape, allegedly contributed the money to purchase the vehicle, while his ex-wife, Sharon Simbi, utilised the civil servant’s rebate scheme to import the vehicle duty-free.
Consequently, the vehicle was registered in Simbi’s name.
The Vehicle Rebate Scheme is a Government initiative designed to incentivise civil servants to import vehicles duty-free, thereby reducing the financial burden of acquiring a vehicle.
Under this scheme, eligible civil servants are allowed to import vehicles without paying customs duty, Value Added Tax (VAT), or other levies.
However, the scheme has been grossly abused, with some individuals exploiting the system for personal gain.
Cases have been reported where civil servants import vehicles under the rebate scheme, only to sell them to third parties at inflated prices, thereby making a killing.
Others abuse the scheme to import vehicles for friends and family members who are not eligible for the scheme.
This abuse has led to widespread criticism, with calls for Government to review and tighten the scheme to prevent further exploitation.
The couple’s marriage collapsed last month, prompting Simbi to demand “her” vehicle back from Gwengwere, who is allegedly holding onto it.
Gwengwere is demanding that Simbi pays him US$3 000, which he claims he advanced her to buy the vehicle.
Simbi, represented by Chigadza and Associates Legal Practitioners, has since approached Rusape Civil Court, for spoliation order to compel Gwengwere to surrender the vehicle to her.
She claims that Gwengwere took the vehicle without following the due process of the law.
“In 2021, I was customarily married to Gwengwere, and have one minor child, born out of the union. I am employed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care as an Environment Health Technician based at Nyanga District Hospital.
“Sometime in April 2025, Gwengwere indicated that he no longer loved me and unilaterally terminated our union. He ordered me to collect all my property. While I collected all my other movable properties, the respondent forcibly took my car namely, Mazda Atenza (AGN 2041) without any due process of the law or court order, claiming that I owe him US$3 000, which he claimed to have advanced me.
“The aforementioned vehicle belongs to me, and I attach hereto a copy of the registration book, which clearly proves that I am the exclusive owner. I acquired the vehicle under the special civil servants’ Government rebate scheme.
“The application (for rebate) was approved, and consequently a rebate was issued by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority on January 24, 2024. I have been in quiet and peaceful possession of my vehicle, and Gwengwere had no right to unlawfully dispose me of the same.
“He contends that I owe him money, (and) he should follow the due process of the law (to reclaim it), rather than take the law into his own hands,” read Simbi’s application for spoliation order.
Gwengwere is yet to file his response, and the matter is yet to be allocated a magistrate.
Online Reporter