Police hunt man over US$161 500 vehicle scam

Police have launched a manhunt for a Bulawayo man accused of orchestrating a vehicle-hire scam in which 16 vehicles worth a combined US$161 500 were allegedly fraudulently disposed of.

Keith Nyasha Sibanda of Mahatshula North allegedly targeted private vehicle owners and car-hire companies between June 2025 and July this year, taking advantage of the trust placed in him to gain possession of vehicles before allegedly selling them or using them as collateral to secure loans.

Police have so far recovered 13 of the 16 vehicles, while investigations continue to locate the remaining three.

Sibanda remains at large.

Zimbabwe Republic Police Criminal Investigations Department national spokesperson Detective Inspector Rachel Muteweri said Sibanda allegedly used deception to gain the confidence of vehicle owners before taking possession of their cars.

She said he would initially hire vehicles for short periods before allegedly extending the rental agreements and eventually disposing of the vehicles.

"After gaining the confidence of the owners, he would then extend the agreed hire periods before eventually disposing of the vehicles by selling them or using them as collateral to secure loans from different individuals. The complainants lost a total of 16 motor vehicles valued at US$161 500. To date, 13 motor vehicles have been recovered," Muteweri said.

The case has raised questions over how vehicles allegedly obtained through deception could subsequently be sold and, in some instances, have their ownership particulars changed.

A Bulawayo-based car-hire company, which said it was among the alleged victims, claimed that Sibanda hired five of its vehicles before disposing of them.

"This man hired five of our cars and sold them," a company representative said.

The company has since offered a reward for information leading to Sibanda's arrest.

Some alleged victims said they were shocked to discover that vehicles they had hired out had allegedly changed hands, with some purchasers reportedly managing to register the vehicles in their names.

One victim, who requested anonymity, questioned how Sibanda could allegedly sell vehicles that did not belong to him.

"How does one manage to sell a vehicle that does not belong to him? Some of the buyers are said to have produced supporting affidavits indicating that the vehicle would be theirs, raising suspicions that this could be a syndicate involving other offices," the victim said.

Another alleged victim said she had been traumatised by the loss of her vehicle and was particularly concerned about how its registration details were allegedly changed.

"Changing vehicle particulars involves some security checks to ensure that everything is above board and to prevent such criminality, which we have become victims of," she said.

The alleged scam has highlighted the risks faced by vehicle owners and car-hire operators when handing over vehicles to clients, particularly where vehicles are rented on the basis of trust and are not returned within agreed periods.

Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding the alleged disposal of the vehicles, including whether other individuals were involved in selling the cars, accepting them as collateral or facilitating changes to ownership particulars.

Muteweri urged members of the public to help police locate Sibanda while warning prospective vehicle buyers to conduct thorough ownership checks before purchasing cars.

"Anyone with information regarding Sibanda's whereabouts should report to any nearest police station. As police, we also warn members of the public against purchasing vehicles or accepting them as collateral without carrying out thorough checks to establish ownership and ensure that all documentation and transfer procedures are legitimate," she said.

The recovery of 13 vehicles is expected to assist investigators in tracing the alleged transactions and establishing how the cars moved from their original owners to subsequent holders.