Online Reporter
Zvikomborero Parafini
MIKE Mupinga, who made the headlines last year after his pitbull mauled and killed a neighbour in Bluffhill, is claiming that he was allegedly duped of property, including a car, amounting to over US$60,000.
He is claming he was duped while he was in remand prison following his arrest in the wake of the death of a man who was attacked by his pitbull.
He is accusing his friend, Jethro Mubaiwa, of duping him of the property. Mubaiwa was not asked to plead when he appeared before Harare magistrate, Jessie Kufa, where he is facing theft charges.
The court heard that on May 31, last year, Mupinga was remanded in custody on charges of culpable homicide after a man was killed by his pitbull. He left his unregistered BMW X6 M Sport car parked at number 58 Ridgeview, Belvedere, Harare.
He secured the car by locking all doors and all windows before he went to remand prison.
While he was in remand prison, Mubaiwa allegedly approached Mupinga’s girlfriend, Girl Angel Chinamhora, and lied that he had been sent by Mupinga to collect the car, a Mcbook laptop, a Phoenix cellphone, an Iphone and cash amounting to US$13,200.
Mubaiwa was given the property.
On November 7, Mupinga was released from remand prison and upon his arrival back home, he discovered that his property had been stolen.
He contacted his girlfriend and established that Mubaiwa had committed the offence.
Mupinga then filed a report at ZRP Mabelreign.
On January 19 this year, detectives from CID Vehicle Theft Squad received information that Mubaiwa was at Thuli Service Station along Ardbernie Road in Harare.
Mubaiwa told detectives that Kudzai Kelvin Makuyana was in possession of the car.
He claimed that he gave Makuyana the car as collateral to enable him to secure a loan of US$3,500.
He said he signed an Agreement of Sale for the motor vehicle in question.
Efforts to locate Makuyana proved fruitless as he was said to have travelled out of the country.
However, a copy of an Agreement of Sale was obtained and filed in the docket.
The total value of the stolen property is US$60,000 and nothing was recovered.
Mathew Masinge