Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku, Court Writer
A Bulawayo car dealer, who allegedly went on the run for five years after allowing the Sheriff of the High Court to attach a client’s bus worth US$15 000 to settle his own debts, has appeared in court.
Richard Munyika (43), the owner of Majestic Car Sales in Bulawayo and a resident of Famona suburb, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Ms Patience Madondo facing a charge of theft of trust property.
He was not asked to plead and was remanded out of custody to November 10 on US$300 bail.
As part of his bail conditions, Munyika was ordered to surrender his passport, continue residing at his given address, and report to Bulawayo Central Police Station every Monday and Friday. He was also ordered not to interfere with State witnesses.
Munyika was represented by Mr Hebert Shenje of Shenje and Company, while Ms Josephine Gurazhira prosecuted.
The court heard that between April and May 2019, the complainant, Mr Edgar Farai Mhere (63), who runs a vehicle trading business, had entrusted Munyika with his bus to sell on his behalf for US$15 000, under a commission arrangement.
However, Munyika, who was allegedly struggling with debts at the time, is said to have allowed the Sheriff of the High Court to attach the bus to recover money owed by his company, Majestic Car Sales, in a separate civil case involving Mr Candice Peters.
“The accused allowed the bus to be attached by the Sheriff and falsely claimed that it belonged to him,” said Ms Gurazhira.
The court heard that when Mr Mhere later visited the car sale to check on progress, Munyika allegedly told him that a potential buyer had taken the bus for a test drive. When Mr Mhere returned the following day, Munyika was nowhere to be found.
Upon inquiry, one of Munyika’s employees informed Mr Mhere that the bus had been seized by the Sheriff in connection with the company’s debt. After confronting Munyika, the complainant confirmed that his vehicle had indeed been attached and lost in the civil matter. He subsequently filed a police report.
Munyika then disappeared in 2019 and remained at large for five years until he was arrested last Thursday by officers from the Commercial Crimes Division (CCD) in Bulawayo.
