RBZ wins vehicle row

Fidelis Munyoro Chief Court Reporter
Bikita West legislator Dr Munyaradzi Kereke’s personal driver Mr Privilege Maturure,has been ordered to return a Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe vehicle he took away with him after his employment contract was terminated a few years ago.
Mr Maturure was hired by Dr Kereke while the latter was still in the employ of the RBZ as chief advisor to Dr Gideon Gono who was then the governor of the central bank. He was allowed access to RBZ vehicles under the watch of Dr Kereke. After his employment contract was terminated, Maturure took away a Toyota Hilux Vigo he was using, claiming it was part of his retrenchment package.

The ownership wrangle spilled into the High Court with the RBZ seeking an order compelling Mr Maturure to return the vehicle.
Justice Nicholas Mathonsi granted the application by the central bank, noting that Mr Maturure had failed to defend his claim.
He was ordered to surrender the vehicle to the central bank forthwith.

“The defendant shall forthwith deliver to the plaintiff the Toyota Hilux Vigo motor vehicle registration ABD 7870,” ruled Justice Mathonsi.
Justice Mathonsi said Mr Maturure could not prove that he was awarded the vehicle as part of his retrenchment package in terms of the acknowledgement form that he signed at his retrenchment.

“I conclude therefore that the plaintiff is indeed entitled to vindicate against the defendant who has no choice but surrender the vehicle,” said Justice Mathonsi.
The judge, however, did not agree with the RBZ’s assertion that Mr Maturure’s resistance of the claim was outrageous as the bank allowed a non-employee to drive its vehicle under the watch of Dr Kereke for over a year.

This, the judge said, may have led Mr Maturure down the garden path.