Cop found with stolen car

Michael Mashiri

A Bulawayo serial car thief who stole a car, and allegedly tampered with the engine numbers before it was used by a police officer who claimed to have bought it from a car sale has appeared in court.

Jivas Chizunza, 48, of Njube, Bulawayo, was in court accused of theft.

The State, through Tawanda Nyandoro, alleges that, on December 31, 2021, the complainant in the matter parked her car, a Honda Fit and locked all doors and windows before going to bed.

She woke up the following morning and discovered that the car had been stolen from where she had parked it.

The complainant made efforts to ask around what had happened but it did not yield any fruits.

She then went to file a police report at Southerton Police Station.

Detectives got information that the stolen car was in Chipinge before recovering it from Sergeant Knowledge Jori of ZRP Chisumbanje.

When interviewed, Jori said he had bought the car on January 22, 2022, at Shift Focus Car Sale located along Cleverland Avenue, opposite Prince Edward High School in Harare.

It was discovered that the engine numbers had been grossly tampered with. On January 27, 2022, the detectives were informed on the whereabouts of Chizunza who had sold the car.

They arrested one Levie Liston, of Dzivaresekwa and he in turn implicated Chizunza as his accomplice who was still at large by then.

On May 26, 2023, detectives from CID Karoi were informed on the whereabouts of Chizunza and they quickly reacted to it.

They arrested him from Karoi Prison where he had been granted bail on another car theft charge.

The value of the car that was stolen was US$3 800.

Chizunza was ordered to appear in court on May 31, for bail application.