The ManicaPost
Weekender Correspondent
A CHIPINGE man risks imprisonment if convicted after he allegedly deceived officials at the Vehicle Inspectorate Department in Mutare by misrepresenting himself as someone else and sat for a learner’s licence examination on Thursday last week.
Simon Patsen Rufu was allegedly issued with a learner’s licence in the name of James Bungurapera after passing the examination.
The 29-year-old however, vehemently denied the charge insisting that someone had set him up.
Rufu was being charged with fraud as defined in Section 136 (a) of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23 when he appeared before Mutare magistrate Mr Lazarus Murendo.
Representing the State was Mr Fletcher Karombe who told the court that on November 16, Rufu booked for a learner’s license test and misrepresented to the VID accountant that he was James Bungurapera.
He further deceived the accountant by producing his own photograph.
Rufu successfully wrote and passed the test after being issued a proof of payment receipt for booking in the name of James Bungurapera.
Trouble however, struck when Alan Hungwe, a vehicle inspector soon after signing the licence asked Rufu to produce his identity card and photographs so that he be given his learners’ licence.
Rufu is alleged to have produced Bungurapera’s national identity card and photograph. The pictures which he produced were not his, which led to Hungwe questioning him.
He failed to give a satisfactory explanation about his identity. He was searched and his own identity card and photo were recovered from his pockets leading to his arrest.
The proof of payment for booking, Bungurapera’s identity card and photo, the learner’s licensce in Bungurapera’s name and Rufu’s identity card and photograph are in the court’s possession and will be produced as evidence in his trial.
The matter was adjourned to December 1 for trial. He was ordered to pay $20 bail, not to interfere with State witnesses and to keep residing at his given address as part of his bail conditions.
