POLICE have released a vehicle they had seized to Kwekwe businessman Daniel Mzenda under unclear circumstances after it had reportedly been stolen.
BLESSED MHLANGA STAFF REPORTER
The vehicle, a Mazda Demio (engine number B3-248881), imported into the country by Victor Magumise, was reported stolen and seized from Mzenda by police in July.
The police referred the matter to the civil courts and held on to the vehicle.
However, the cops surreptitiously released the vehicle to Mzenda, who went on to sell it before the courts had settled the dispute.
Magumise told the court in a sworn affidavit that the police released the vehicle to Mzenda, who was being accused of stealing the car, despite knowing that its ownership was yet to be decided.
“Before the finalisation of the matter (case 455/13) and despite the fact that the officer-in-charge ZRP Kwekwe Central was party to the proceedings, they released the car to the respondent (Mzenda),” part of Magumise’s affidavit reads.
Mzenda told the court that he had sold the car.
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“I sold the vehicle to a person whose name I really don’t know, but I have no agreement of sale because it was a gentleman’s agreement,” Mzenda told the court.
Magistrate Letwin Rwodzi immediately jailed Mzenda for contempt of court and ordered him to release the vehicle to Magumise.
Rwodzi also determined that the car belonged to Magumise after seeing a paper trail which showed that the ordering and clearing of the vehicle into Zimbabwe was done by Magumise.
Magumise’s lawyer Charles Chigomere said his client was now considering filing another criminal charge against Mzenda and the police officer who released the car if it was not returned to him within 30 days.
