OK Grand Challenge winner arrested

Elton Nyathi (23) from Victoria Falls, who last June won a Nissan NP300 at the OK Grand Challenge valued at around $30 000, has been arrested for driving it without a licence.

A former Mosi-oa-Tunya High School pupil, Nyathi faces charges of driving without a licence and escaping from lawful custody.

Nyathi was handcuffed, but he outpaced cops and was only re-arrested the following day.

He pleaded guilty to driving without a licence but denied charges of escaping from lawful custody when he appeared before Victoria Falls resident magistrate Lindiwe Maphosa last Friday.

Maphosa remanded him out of custody to January 29.

The prosecutor Mr Takunda Ndovorwi told the court that on January 10, 2016, at around 6pm Nyathi was driving the car towards Mkhosana suburb.

"The accused was stopped by traffic police who requested a driver's licence. When he failed to produce one, he was arrested and while being escorted to the police station, Nyathi escaped," Mr Ndovorwi said.

A manhunt was launched and Nyathi was later arrested at Lupinyu Business Centre the following day.

The Grand Challenge winner said last year that he had no driver's licence but was planning to start driving lessons.