Man sells hired car to cop

selling it to an unsuspecting policeman.
Paidamoyo Mukamba (24), who had negotiated a swap deal with a Rusape-based policeman Mr Tobaiwa Mutema, was arrested at his rural home at the instigation of the car-hiring firm.
Mukamba last week appeared at the Harare magistrates’ Court charged with theft of a motor vehicle and was remanded in custody to June 17 for routine remand.
Magistrate Mr Morgan Nemadire advised him to apply for bail at the High court.
Appearing for the State, Mr Michael Reza alleged that on March 23 this year, Mukamba and the firm’s representative Tawanda Mugwenjedzi entered into an agreement in which Mukamba hired a Ford Telsta. They agreed that Mukamba would pay US$30 per day as rental, it is alleged.
On April 2, the State says that Mukamba took the car to Rusape without the firm’s knowledge and consent.
It is the State’s case that Mukamba met Mutema in Rusape and the two entered into an oral agreement whereby they would swap cars.
It is further alleged that Mukamba promised to top up US$1 000 on top of the Ford Telsta in exchange for a Mazda B2000 pickup.
The court heard that Mukamba went to Mutema’s house where he left the Ford Telsta and took the pickup for a test-drive.
After test-driving the pick-up, Mukamba took it back to Mutema and the two agreed to swap the cars after the top-up had been paid.
The State further alleged that Mugwenjedzi after failing to locate Mukamba made a police report leading to Mukamba’s arrest on April 23 in Rusape, Musariri village.