£33 000 lost in botched car import deal
A HARARE man lost £33 470 to a car dealer whom he had engaged to import three vehicles to Zimbabwe.
Vitalis Munemo, a car dealer at MCV Car Sales, appeared before Harare magistrate Dennis Mangosi charged with theft of trust property and was remanded in custody pending his bail application today.
The State represented by Mr Rufaro Chonzi alleged that in August last year, Mr Vitalis Dingani approached Munemo as he wanted to import three vehicles. He knew Munemo as a car dealer and agent for importing vehicles, operating from Netway Car sales opposite Prince Edward High School.
Mr Dingani told him that he wanted to import an Iveco truck, a DAF Truck and a trailer and they agreed on payment terms. He was charged £18 210 for importing an Iveco truck, £4 500 for the trailer and £4 239 for the DAF.
There were shipping expenses of £11 740 making the total cost of purchasing all the three vehicles and their shipping charges £38 690. Mr Dingani did not buy the DAF but he bought the Iveco and trailer.
On August 12, Mr Dingani made a deposit payment of £8 950 towards the purchase of the Iveco truck, paying another £9 250 the next day as the balance for the Iveco truck.
On August 16, Mr Dingani paid the £4 500 for the trailer. On September 21 he paid £10 400 towards shipping expenses leaving a balance of £1 340, which he finally paid on November 4.
Munemo allegedly instructed Mr Dingani to send a driver to Walvis Bay to collect the vehicle and the trailer but the driver went there and stayed for nine days and came back to Zimbabwe with nothing after failing to locate Munemo who had become evasive.
Munemo received a total of £33 470 for the purpose of purchasing and shipping vehicles which he converted to own use.
Total value prejudiced is £ 33 470 at an exchange rate of US$1.32/£1 to make a total US$44 180,40 and nothing was recovered.