Sports bar car ‘thief’ nabbed

Nyaradzo Bakari, Chronicle Reporter
A 21-YEAR-OLD Bulawayo man has been arrested for allegedly stealing a vehicle at a sports bar in New Magwegwe suburb last Friday.

Ethan Ndlovu, from Nkulumane 11 suburb, allegedly stole a Toyota Hiace which was parked outside Mabhodoko Sports Bar after the owner went into the bar to buy beer with his friends.

Ndlovu appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Mrs Sibongile Msipa-Marondedze charged with theft of a motor vehicle yesterday.

His plea of guilty was altered to that of not guilty when he told the court that he was drunk when he committed the offence.

“I was drunk that night and I do not even remember what transpired. I was shocked when people started attacking me saying I had stolen a vehicle because I was not in a good state to control my actions,” he said.

The magistrate advised the State to change the charge to driving a motor vehicle without the owner’s consent, saying the man’s intentions were not to steal.

“Given the facts of this matter and that the accused was drunk, it shows stealing wasn’t the intention, it was just a young man experimenting while drunk.

“The intention could not have been to steal the car because the accused cannot even drive. How would he steal a vehicle without the knowledge of driving it? So my advice is that you consult and have the charge changed to driving a vehicle without owner’s consent,” she said.

Prosecuting, Mr Simbarashe Manyiwa said Ndlovu stole the vehicle from Mr Nkululeko Ncube last Friday.

“On February 2, 2018 at about 11PM, the complainant parked his vehicle in front of Mabhodoko sports bar. He left the car keys on ignition and went into the sports bar to buy beer with three male friends. The accused got into the vehicle, started the engine and drove off,” he said.

Mr Manyiwa said the complainant discovered the car had been stolen when he came out of the sports bar.

Mr Ncube looked around and saw his car being driven off slowly and ran after it. The vehicle engine went off and Ndlovu is said to have failed to restart it.

The prosecutor said Ndlovu was apprehended by members of the public and taken to a police station.

The car, which was worth $4 500 was recovered.

@NyarieBakie