Filing station business partners embroiled in bitter vehicle legal wrangle

TWO business partners operation a filing station in Victoria Falls are embroiled in a bitter vehicle wrangle after one of the partners allegedly illegally sold the vehicle worth $5000 without the permission of the other partners and allegedly diverted the money to his own use.

This was heard by Bulawayo Regional Court magistrate Mark Dzira.

Tonderai Farai Chakamanga (29) of Burnside in Bulawayo appeared before him charged with the theft of the vehicle.

The vehicle allegedly belonged to his partner Hernesh Suman Patel of Suburbs in Bulawayo whom they are co- directors of the Finnin Investment Filing Station in Victoria Falls together.

Chakamanga was represented by a lawyer Liberty Mcijo and in his defence he said he and Patel were co directors of the company with equal powers in terms of decision making. He said all the securities they had as the company which they submitted to the banks were meant to enable them to acquire funds from the bank when need be.

Chakamanga said he also had autonomy in the running of the company but each time he went to do security business for the company he would be with Patel as he was the one who had funds. He said there is no way he would have stolen anything from the company.

His lawyer asked the court to amend some of the bail conditions such as having him report to the police once a week on Fridays and not going to Victoria Falls until the matter is finali9sed which were considered by the court before further remanding the case.

Prosecutor Tinashe Dzipe told the court that sometime in February 2013 Chakamanga was instructed by Patel to collect his car a Nissan Pickup which was at Patbro Seals number 290 Rumsey Road in Victoria Falls. It was agreed between parties that Chakamanga would take it for repair and use it for day to day running of business at the Zambezi Filing Station which they own together and at Patbro Seals offices in Victoria Falls.

Chakamanga collected the vehicle and took it for repairs as agreed. Contrary to the agreement he allegedly sold the vehicle unlawfully to Stanely Mukome for $4000. The offence came to light on August 25 last year when Patel visited the Zambezi Filing station only to discover that the vehicle was not there. A report was made to the police leading to the arrest of Chakamanga.