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Makarau sucked into car theft scam

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ZEC chairperson Justice Rita Makarau has been sucked into a vehicle theft scam after her car registration plates were recovered fixed to a stolen vehicle in Mutare early this year.

ZIMBABWE Electoral Commission (Zec) chairperson Justice Rita Makarau has been sucked into a vehicle theft scam after her car registration plates were recovered fixed to a stolen vehicle in Mutare early this year.

SENIOR COURT REPORTER

Justice Makarau’s registration numbers plates ACX 8913 were recovered on the stolen vehicle after police intercepted and exchanged gunfire with suspected thieves Golden Magwenju and Joseph Makanuka, who were later fatally shot on the spot in Masvingo on June 28 this year.

The recovery of the vehicle led to the arrest of Gilbert Zvaita, a former police officer once attached to the Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS), who is now facing charges of unlawful entry and theft of a motor vehicle.

However, when Justice Makarau was interviewed by the police in August this year over the matter, she said her vehicle was involved in a serious accident and declared a write-off.

She further told the police that the wreckage was towed to a garage at Graniteside, Harare, for safekeeping and was still awaiting disposal. She also denied ever sending any person to apply for a duplicate registration book or new registration plates on her behalf.

In his evidence-in-chief, Detective Sergeant Brian Mageta yesterday told regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya that Zvaita obtained Justice Makarau’s registration plates after misrepresenting to Central Vehicle Registry (CVR) officials that he had been sent by the judge.

“The accused (Zvaita) went to CVR and misrepresented to Livingstone Mubvumbi that he had been sent by Justice Makarau to apply for a duplicate registration book of her vehicle Isuzu KB300 with registration number ABP7722,” Mageta said.

“After convincing Mubvumbi, accused was issued with the duplicate registration book which he took to ZRP Southerton and made a report that registration plates number ABP7722 belonging to Justice Rita Makarau had been lost in the central business district and as such she needed replacements.”

Mageta further said Zvaita was then issued with a lost property list, ZRP form 162, which he took to CID VTS where he obtained a CVR clearance form and applied for new registration plates at Causeway Post Office.

The court heard Zvaita was issued with new registration plates bearing numbers ACX8913 in the name of Justice Makarau which he then fixed to the stolen vehicle.

Zvaita’s lawyer Benjamin Chidenga challenged Mageta’s evidence and argued that his client was sent to obtain a new registration book by a woman identified only as Mrs Magwenju and was never involved in the theft of the vehicle in Mutare.

Chidenga further said Zvaita used proper procedures to obtain the registration book and never lied to CVR officials that Justice Makarau had sent him to process any papers to which Mageta replied: “He was linked to the case in the manner he registered the vehicle. He used the big name to scare the officials at CVR. As a former police officer, he knew he adopted an improper procedure to acquire the registration book.”

Mageta also told the court that the said woman, Magwenju, was on the run after evading arrest by the police following Zvaita’s arrest. Kudzai Chigwedere represented the State.