News / Local
Obert Mpofu's car theft suspect placed off remand
10 Apr 2015 at 07:16hrs | Views
A BULAWAYO cross-border transport operator, who allegedly connived with a South African and stole Transport and Infrastructural Development Minister Obert Mpofu's car worth $45,000, was yesterday placed off remand.
Nqobile Mkandla, 35, of Nkulumane suburb pleaded not guilty to a charge of theft of a motor vehicle when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Marilyn Mutshina.
Mkandla through his lawyer, Prince Bushe of Mcijo Dube and Partners, had applied for refusal of further remand, arguing that there was no evidence that linked him to the alleged crime.
The state led by Charles Danda did not oppose the application and Mutshina placed Mkandla off remand. He will now appear in court by way of summons.
Prosecuting, Danda said on March 18, 2015, Mkandla's accomplice Johannes Tsekang Tsediso Ntshinye spotted Mpofu's car parked at JMN Nkomo International Airport soon after arriving in Bulawayo aboard a South African Airways flight. The car, a Toyota Prado, belongs to Kanondo Car Hire owned by Mpofu.
Danda said three days later, Ntshinye phoned the car hire company and inquired about the availability of the car so that he could make arrangements to hire it.
"Ntshinye asked if the car could be delivered to him at Nandos along Jason Moyo Street in Bulawayo. A worker at Kanondo Car Hire, Mbuso Mpofu, drove the car to Ntshinye. On inspecting the car and agreeing on the terms and conditions, Ntshinye then paid a deposit of $300 to hire the vehicle and drove away purporting to be going to Matobo for a wedding," said Danda.
The court heard that Mkandla and Ntshinye allegedly teamed up and made arrangements with other accomplices in South Africa to manufacture fake number plates and a registration book. Mkandla communicated with Ntshinye to transport the particulars of the car to Bulawayo.
On March 22 shortly after 7.30PM, Mkandla who had just arrived in Bulawayo from South Africa, phoned Ntshinye allegedly informing him that he had brought the fake number plates and registration book, the court heard.
"The two met in the city's central business district during which they fitted the car with the fake plates, enabling them to drive it out of the country without being detected," said Danda.
The court heard that on the following day, Mbuso got suspicious and made a police report.
Danda said Mkandla was arrested following an application by Detective Addmore Madamure from Vehicle Theft Squad who sought an order compelling Econet to release details of the cell number used by Ntshinye.
Bulawayo magistrate Gladmore Mushowe granted the order on the same day and it emerged that Ntshinye was using an Econet line 0777 303 063 to communicate with employees of Kanondo Car Hire and Mkandla, which led to his arrest. Ntshinye is, however, still at large.
Nqobile Mkandla, 35, of Nkulumane suburb pleaded not guilty to a charge of theft of a motor vehicle when he appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Marilyn Mutshina.
Mkandla through his lawyer, Prince Bushe of Mcijo Dube and Partners, had applied for refusal of further remand, arguing that there was no evidence that linked him to the alleged crime.
The state led by Charles Danda did not oppose the application and Mutshina placed Mkandla off remand. He will now appear in court by way of summons.
Prosecuting, Danda said on March 18, 2015, Mkandla's accomplice Johannes Tsekang Tsediso Ntshinye spotted Mpofu's car parked at JMN Nkomo International Airport soon after arriving in Bulawayo aboard a South African Airways flight. The car, a Toyota Prado, belongs to Kanondo Car Hire owned by Mpofu.
Danda said three days later, Ntshinye phoned the car hire company and inquired about the availability of the car so that he could make arrangements to hire it.
The court heard that Mkandla and Ntshinye allegedly teamed up and made arrangements with other accomplices in South Africa to manufacture fake number plates and a registration book. Mkandla communicated with Ntshinye to transport the particulars of the car to Bulawayo.
On March 22 shortly after 7.30PM, Mkandla who had just arrived in Bulawayo from South Africa, phoned Ntshinye allegedly informing him that he had brought the fake number plates and registration book, the court heard.
"The two met in the city's central business district during which they fitted the car with the fake plates, enabling them to drive it out of the country without being detected," said Danda.
The court heard that on the following day, Mbuso got suspicious and made a police report.
Danda said Mkandla was arrested following an application by Detective Addmore Madamure from Vehicle Theft Squad who sought an order compelling Econet to release details of the cell number used by Ntshinye.
Bulawayo magistrate Gladmore Mushowe granted the order on the same day and it emerged that Ntshinye was using an Econet line 0777 303 063 to communicate with employees of Kanondo Car Hire and Mkandla, which led to his arrest. Ntshinye is, however, still at large.
Source - chronicle
