The owner of the car, Takura Kariwo, 33, had left the car unlocked with the key in the ignition when the accused, Kelvin Munjoma, 22, stole it. Mutare Magistrate Charles Murove remanded Munjoma in custody to August 6 for trial.
It is alleged that on November 5, 2011, Kariwo parked his white Toyota Cresta outside Sports Café Night Club and left the keys in the ignition.
“Munjoma got into the car and drove away to Dora Dombo village where he removed the vehicle’s registration numbers and threw them in a river. He fitted the car with number plates belonging to another car,” said the prosecutor.
On June 14 this year, Munjoma took the vehicle to a spray painter, Gilbert Mutandwa, in Rusape where it was painted black. Munjoma then sold the car to Isaac Chinyama of Hobhouse in Mutare.
On July 21, Kariwo saw the stolen vehicle parked in Mutare and alerted the police. Chinyama led the police to Munjoma, who was then arrested.
Post published in: News