Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku [email protected]
A 21-YEAR-OLD man from Bulawayo’s Gwabalanda suburb appeared in court for allegedly stealing a car at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) premises and driving without a valid driver’s licence.
Emmanuel Ncube appeared in court on Monday before Bulawayo regional magistrate, Ms Sibonginkosi Mkandla, and pleaded not guilty to both charges.
He was not legally represented and applied for bail, stating that he was a law-abiding citizen, employed, and as such he is not a flight risk.
Ncube also stated that he was pursuing tertiary education at a local college. He was remanded in custody until Tuesday for a bail ruling. The court heard that the complainant is Eugine Dube (23).
Prosecutor Ms Nkanyezi Xaba told the court that this month, on 9 September and at around 7:40 PM, the complainant parked his motor vehicle, a red Mazda Verisa registration number AFH4904, chassis number DC5W303086, at the entrance of ZITF Hall number 2, Bulawayo.
“He secured the motor vehicle by closing all the windows and doors but did not lock the doors and left the car keys in the door panel. During the complainant’s absence, the accused approached the complainant’s motor vehicle and used a key left on the door panel to start the motor vehicle and drove away unnoticed,” said Ms Xaba.
The complainant was shocked when he returned later and found out that his car had been stolen. He looked for it at ZITF but could not find it and reported the matter to the police. Detectives from the CID Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS) Bulawayo launched an investigation and during their investigations received information leading to the arrest of the accused person and the subsequent recovery of the stolen motor vehicle.
The stolen motor vehicle is valued at US$4 000.
“The accused is also facing a count of contravening Section 6(1)(a) of the Road Traffic Act Chapter 13:11 – Driving a motor vehicle without a valid driver’s licence.”
The accused person is not a holder of any driver’s licence issued in terms of the Act. On 9 September, the accused person drove the stolen car from ZITF Bulawayo to Chigumira Business Centre in Luveve suburb without a valid driver’s licence.
