The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata Senior Weekender Reporter
A DANGAMVURA man who played Good Samaritan and offered a lift to a stranded 18-year-old man was left empty-handed after the passenger later vanished with his vehicle following a stopover at a filling station.
Tafadzwa Nyamayevana of Room 6 Court 15 OTS Sakubva — an ex-convict who recently tested freedom through the Presidential Amnesty — stuck to his old ways and stole John Jera’s Honda Fit, which was being used by Fortunate Manyaya (24) as an unregistered taxi.
The taxi driver, who did not suspect that his passenger had something bad up his sleeves, was left with his mouth ajar after failing to locate his car where he had parked it.
After stealing the vehicle, the suspect drove it to Birchenough Bridge and removed the number plates in a bid to avoid detection.
However, detectives received a tip-off, quickly acted on the information and arrested Manyaya.
They subsequently recovered the vehicle valued at $4 500 and brought Manyaya to have his day in court.
Circumstances to the case were that on May 7 at around 6 am, Manyaya was driving an unregistered taxi, a Honda Fit, silver in colour with registration number AEI 3242.
He was travelling from Sakubva to the City Centre.
Manyaya offered the accused person whom he knew as a local man a lift from Quest Motors into the city centre. Along the way, the driver proceeded to B&C Garage along Simon Mazorodze Road for refuelling.
He disembarked from the motor vehicle, leaving the accused person behind.
The car keys were on the ignition.
Manyaya went to the garage to drink water.
He came back after about three minutes and found his vehicle stolen.
A report was subsequently made at ZRP Mutare Central. Detectives from the Vehicle Theft Squad attended the scene and a radio message was quickly dispatched to all police stations.
During investigations detectives found out that the suspect was recently released from prison on Presidential Amnesty after he was jailed four years for committing a similar crime involving the theft of a motor vehicle.
Manyaya was subsequently arrested in Birchenough Bridge with the stolen car. He is expected to appear in court soon.
