JUST IN: 12 months in jail for wheels thief

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
A CROSS border truck driver who stole two wheels from a truck he was driving and replaced them with worn out ones has been jailed for 12 months.

Cosmas Chipapami (45) of DRC section in Empumalanga, Hwange and is employed as a truck driver by Prime Africa Transport, pleaded guilty to theft of trust property when he appeared before Hwange magistrate Ms Gladmore Mushove.

He was lucky to escape the agony of jail life after the magistrate suspended three months on condition of good behaviour and a further five months on condition that he performs 175 hours of community service at Hwange Magistrates’ Courts.

Chipapami however has to restitutes the company of $57 440 by June 30 this year, failure to which he will serve four months which the court set aside for that condition.

Prosecuting, Ms Jamesina Makanza said the complainant is Prime Africa Transport represented by its loss control officer Mr Alexio Chikaonda.

“On a date unknown to the prosecutor but during the period extending from 25 March 2021 and 20 April 2021, the accused person was given a truck loaded with foundry coke to deliver in DRC. He removed two new tyres and replaced them with old ones that were worn out,” said Ms Makanza.

The offence was discovered by Mr Chikaonda when he inspected the truck.

He also discovered that a jack was missing.

Investigations led to the arrest of Chipapami. The total value of stolen property was US$685 and nothing was recovered. – @ncubeleon