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Yeukai Karengezeka-Court Correspondent
Popular comedienne Felistus Murata, generally known as Mai TT, was yesterday convicted of fraudulently using hired car as collateral to borrow US$10 000, then a stolen car, and then an invalid passport.
She was remanded in custody and will be sentenced today.
She still faces another trial on the fraud charges arising from the loan backed by spurious assets.
Harare magistrate Mrs Munashe Chibanda said she found Murata guilty of the theft as she knew that she was deliberately using a hired vehicle as a collateral for the money she was owing.
The State led by Mrs Monalisa Magwenzi proved that the Mercedes Benz Murata gave as surety to Ms Rachel Mhuka was hired. But despite knowing that the hired vehicle was accumulating costs, Murata went to the United States without returning it to the owner.
Murata later claimed back the Mercedes Benz admitting it did not belong to her and handed over another vehicle, an Audi Q5. This car she again retrieved and replaced with an invalid passport as surety.
When Ms Mhuka realised that the passport was invalid, she confronted Murata who immediately returned the second vehicle. But in January this year, police from Rhodesville approached Ms Mhuka and seized the car saying it had been stolen from Else Event Car Hire.
This was after the company reported Murata for theft of trust property.
The trial in which she is facing fraud charges is yet to start.
Online Reporter
Bongani Ndlovu