HARARE – Two women sold a car to a soldier and then conspired to steal it within minutes of the transaction, a court heard on Thursday.
Beverly Tsitsi Nherudzo, 24, of Chitepo Heights in Harare and Mary Muchaziwepi, 52, of South View Fidelity Park in Harare were not asked to plead to charges of motor vehicle theft when they appeared before Harare magistrate Donald Ndirowei.
They were granted US$50 bail each and will return to court on February 7.
The court heard that the pair sold a Honda Fit to a soldier, Michael Kaduku, who wanted the vehicle for his wife. But before he could drive away in it, the vehicle was stolen.
Kaduku, according to the National Prosecuting Authority, called Muchaziwepi on December 31, 2023, advising her that he and his wife would be in Harare to make a payment for a black Honda Fit that she was selling. They agreed to meet at Harare Show Grounds.
“When Kaduku arrived at Harare Show Grounds, he was picked up by Nherudzo who was now communicating with him using Muchaziwepi’s number. She took him to Westgate Shopping Centre whilst driving in a Honda Fit,” according to the NPA.
“Upon arrival at Westgate Shopping Centre, Nherudzo introduced Muchaziwepi to Kaduku as her mother and advised him not to worry about purchasing the car since it belonged to Nherudzo’s sister who was not well and needed cash for medication.”
Kaduku negotiated with the duo and agreed on a purchase price of US$4,000. He paid US$3,000 with the agreement that the balance of US$1,000 would be paid in instalments between January and February 2024. Nherudzo then handed over the car keys to Kaduku.
The prosecution says following the exchange, Nherudzo and Muchaziwepi informed Kaduku that in order to draft an agreement of sale, they would need to buy affidavit forms from Pick n Pay.
He then locked the vehicle, and the four of them left the parking lot, leaving his wife’s purse, which contained US$1,100 in the car.
Muchaziwepi reportedly left the group as they entered the supermarket, saying she was heading home and would leave Nherudzo to complete the paperwork.
Following her departure, Kuduku left his wife and Nherudzo in the shop and went back to the parking lot to confirm that the vehicle had a jack and spare wheel. To his shock, he noticed that the car he had just paid for was being driven by an unknown male individual.
Kaduku’s wife was reportedly left standing alone when Nherudzo made a run for it at the same moment as the car was being stolen.
Realising that they had been robbed, the couple made a police report at ZRP Glen Norah. Investigations established that Nherudzo had previously reported the same vehicle as stolen.
When she was interviewed, she implicated Muchaziwepi and a man called Misheck Chirara, who has so far evaded arrest.
The vehicle is yet to be recovered.
