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Ex-cop masterminds theft, steals kombis

23 Dec, 2016 - 00:12 0 Views
Ex-cop masterminds theft, steals kombis Mudhara Vachauya (left) was stolen in Harare while on the right, is the minibus which was stolen in broad daylight at Chigodora rank in Mutare

The ManicaPost

Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter
AN ex-police officer – once stationed at Rhodesville Police Station in Harare – is the architect of the Chigodora Rank kombi theft which left public transport operators in Mutare dumbfounded after the cunning criminal drove off a Toyota Hiace unnoticed during the rush hour.

Apart from the Mutare heist which he executed on November 30 at the busy termini, Tinashe Bengura, was wanted by the police in connection with a litany of similar car theft offences he orchestrated in the capital city.

However, luck ran out for Bengura two weeks ago after he was spotted by Highway Patrol cops in Harare ferrying passengers with the stolen Chigodora kombi.

He was arrested on the spot.

Traffic police officers who cannot be named for professional reasons revealed this week that his capture helped the police solve a number of car thefts.

“This case is quite interesting. Before he stole the Toyota Hiace from Chigodora Rank, Bengura travelled the previous day from Harare with another stolen kombi. He was ferrying people along the way to Mutare. When he reached the Christmas Pass curves he was stopped by traffic cops for committing various traffic offences.

“The vehicle was subsequently taken to Mutare Central Police Station as he did not have money to pay spot fines. No one knew that the kombi he was driving had been stolen from Harare. He was told to park the vehicle at the police station and he left claiming that he was going to look for money to pay the fines. It later emerged that when he left the police station he headed straight to the Chigodora Rank where he stole the Toyota Hiace. With the stolen kombi he then made his journey back to Harare ferrying passengers,” said one of the cops.

Last week after his arrest, Bengura was hauled before a Harare magistrate who convicted of two counts of car theft.

He was slapped with a six year jail term.

The Manica Post this week caught up with the victim of the Chigodora Rank incident, Kenny Gwite, who was ecstatic for repossessing his stolen vehicle.

“I want to thank the Lord for repossessing my kombi in one piece. This is my only source of livelihood. I was torn apart when I lost the vehicle but I kept on praying to the heavens,” he said and added:

“Everything happened in a flash and up to this day I fail to comprehend what actually happened. I had just collected my child from school and parked my vehicle at the rank queuing for my turn to be loaded and ferry passengers to Chigodora. I disembarked from the kombi and went to buy a bottle of Maheu from a vendor who is nearby. When I returned to my vehicle I could not find it. I asked other operators if they had seen what happened. They said someone drove it off and they thought it was me.

“I could not believe that my car had been stolen at such a busy rank. I went to the police and made a report. We followed leads but could not locate it. I was relieved when I received a call from the police that my vehicle had been recovered in Harare. I went to Harare and collected it,” he said.

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