LOCAL music promoter Patson Chimbodza’s friend Tapiwa Marenge was yesterday convicted by a Harare magistrate on a charge of fraud and theft of a radio from a motor vehicle following the botched sale of a Mercedes Benz ML belonging to the former.
by PAIDAMOYO MUZULU
Marenge (28), who was not immediately sentenced, is likely to walk away with a community service sentence after provincial magistrate Tendai Mahwe referred him to the department for vetting.
“You have been found guilty of fraud and the second charge of theft of a car radio which you personally admitted before this court, but you are acquitted of the third charge of malicious damage to property,” Mahwe said.
“It has been proven by the State that you gave Chimbodza a car that did not belong to you and if the police had not recovered it from him, it meant the owner would have lost his vehicle.”
The court heard Marenge owed Chimbodza $3 500 and was at some point given the Mercedes Benz ML 430 to sell. The court also heard, Marenge then gave Chimbodza a Toyota Ipsum as guarantee for the loan and assured him possession of the same if he failed to replace the Mercedes Benz.
The Toyota Ipsum, the court heard, was later recovered by police from Chimbodza under unclear circumstances prompting Marenge to give Chimboza a second vehicle, a Toyota Granvia, which was also seized by police.
However, when confronted for the return of the vehicle, Marenge failed to account for it or the proceeds of the same, leading to his arrest.
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Meanwhile, Harare traffic police officer Mashoko Chidangwara was released on $50 bail by magistrate Mahwe after appearing on charges of corruption or alternatively abuse of public office.
Chidangwara is accused of demanding a bribe from a motorist who he spotted driving an unregistered VW Polo at Makoni shopping centre in Chitungwiza.
The State alleges on the day in question Chidangwara stopped the driver of the vehicle and asked him to drive to the police station whereupon he demanded a $100 bribe as a condition to release the car.
The complainant, whose name was not stated in court papers, then made a report to the anti-corruption unit leading to Chidangwara’s arrest.
Sharon Mashavira appeared for the State and the matter was remanded to August 6 this year for trial.
