By Tendai Rupapa
A suspected Harare conman allegedly sold nine vehicles worth over $50 000 that he had hired from different car rentals in the city, a Harare magistrate heard yesterday.
The suspect used fake registration books to cheat his unsuspecting customers.
With the help of his accomplices Danmore Zimondi (39), Bruce Sambadzi (22) and Shadreck Chiwanza (31), Josphat Simbarashe Marowa (24) forged affidavits and agreements of sale in order to acquire duplicate registration books for the said vehicles from Central Vehicle Registry (CVR).
The fraudulent affidavits and agreements of sale gave the false impression the owners of the vehicles had sold them to Marowa.
Marowa yesterday appeared before Mrs Vongai Muchuchuti-Guwuriro charged with nine counts of theft of a motor vehicle and was remanded in custody to December 10.
He was instructed to apply for bail at the High Court.
His alleged accomplices who are facing forgery charges were remanded to December 13 on $50 bail each.
Marowa is being represented by Mr Tungamirai Muganhiri while Messrs John Ndomene and Tawanda Takaendesa are appearing on behalf of the alleged accomplices.
Prosecutor Mr Peter Kachirika alleged that on November 16 Marowa approached Alexious Masere, an employee at Impala Car Hire, and hired a Toyota Runx for $50 per day.
He then drove the vehicle to Enterprise Car Sales where he sold it to Stanley Namalawa for $4 100.
On November 7, Marowa approached Tonderai Muchaka’s car rental and hired a Toyota Alex for “two weeks” and was charged $700, which he paid in full.
The vehicle is valued at $5 500.
He then processed a registration book and sold the vehicle to Lenin Chikwiramakomo for $4 000.
A week after hiring the Toyota Alex, Marowa went back to the same car rental and hired another vehicle – a Toyota Corolla valued at $6 500 – for one week and paid $210.
He misrepresented that he was hiring the vehicle on behalf of his brother who was coming from South Africa.
He again sold the motor vehicle to Daniel Chisveto after giving him a fake registration book.
During the same month, Marowa allegedly contacted Johnson Machimbidza, the owner of Huzny Car Hire situated in Borrowdale and advised him that he wanted to hire a Toyota Runx.
He asked Machimbidza to bring the car to Meikles Hotel on the pretext he was booked there. Marowa signed a 30-day hire agreement and drove off.
Using the same method, he obtained a fake registration book and sold the vehicle to Innocent Maoko.
Before the lapse of the 30-day agreement, Marowa allegedly went back to the same car rental and hired another vehicle – a Honda CRV – which he then sold to Anna Mutero.
It is the State’s case that Marowa hired another vehicle – a Nissan X-Trail – on October 28 from Pardon Zvenyika.
He also sold the vehicle to Beatrice Makoni after he had hired it for 30 days.
The court further heard that Marowa went back to Zvenyika and misrepresented that his brother also wanted a vehicle.
He again hired another Nissan X-Trail and later sold it.
Marowa, the State alleged, proceeded to Shanyai Car Rental on November 8 where he hired another Nissan X-Trail.
He sold the vehicle to Amos Mupuri, the court heard.
On November 21, Marowa reportedly hired a Toyota Vitz from Manella Car Rental before selling it to Mu- puri. When he was arrested, Marowa was driving a Nissan Navara he had also hired from another car rental. The Herald
