A HARARE car dealer, who was accused of selling a non-existent vehicle for $8 000, was yesterday acquitted of the charges when he appeared before a Harare magistrate after a full trial.
By Desmond Chingarande
Munyaradza Chauraya (38), who was denying the charge, was acquitted by Harare magistrate Francis Mapfumo for lack of evidence.
Allegations were that on an unknown date, Chauraya created a Facebook page called “cars for cash”.
The State alleged that on October 5, 2015, Clara Hambury, who was looking for a truck, phoned Chauraya and asked him to show her some of the vehicles that were on offer.
Further allegations are that Chauraya sent pictures of an Isuzu single-cab (registration number ABD 9313) to Hambury using WhatsApp and told the complainant the vehicle was being sold for $8 000 at an auction in Bluffhill.
The court heard that Hambury subsequently withdrew $8 000 from her CABS account and gave it to Chauraya to purchase the vehicle on her behalf.
Chauraya, who had promised to deliver the vehicle as soon as he purchased it, reportedly converted the money to his own use. Hambury lodged a complaint with the police, leading to his arrest.
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But Chauraya denied the allegations, saying he never received the money from Humbury. The State failed to provide evidence that the money was paid, leading to his acquittal.
