Top CIO up for car theft

A district intelligence officer, Mbereki Mbizo Nyathi, on Monday appeared at the Harare Magistrates' Court together with an Indian national, Abdul Ismael, charged with theft of a motor vehicle.

From left: District intelligence officer, Mbereki Mbizo Nyathi, lawyer, Oliver Marwa, Indian national, Abdul Ishmael and a police detective at the Harare Magistrates' Court yesterday

Allegations against the two are that sometime in January 2015, they acted in common purpose and connived to steal a BMW 320D vehicle in South Africa. They allegedly acted in cahoots with Hillary Nduna, who is still at large, and a syndicate based in South Africa.

The State alleges when the vehicle was stolen, Nyathi (44) and Ishmael (30) brought it to Zimbabwe, where the latter fraudulently obtained registration book with number ADU 6982, from the Central Vehicle Registry (CVR).

The State further alleges after fraudulently registering the motor vehicle, Ishmael took the car to Nyathi's residence for safekeeping, taking advantage of his position as a senior State security agent.

After receiving the car, Nyathi allegedly started using it.

In the court papers submitted to the magistrate, the Prosecutor-General's (PG) Office said: "The Central Vehicle Registry has confirmed that the registration of the motor vehicle was fraudulently done and obtained a registration book of a BMW 320D, which was stolen from South Africa in order to evade payment of duty to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra)."

And in its reasons for opposing bail, the PG's Office said Ishmael was not gainfully employed and that he was likely to flee the jurisdiction of the courts if granted bail.

The State further said Nyathi was not a proper candidate for bail, since he was likely to interfere with evidence or witnesses because one witness was his best friend.

The State also said the two suspects are well-connected to the CVR, where they obtained the fraudulent vehicle registration book, and, if granted bail there was likelihood they would interfere with witnesses.

Senior prosecutor, Michael Reza appeared for the State, while Oliver Marwa represented the two suspects.