Beverly Bizeki
In a love affair that went sour, a 37 year-old Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) librarian Tanaka Tinovimbanashe Chirenje has been dragged before a Masvingo magistrate facing allegations of theft of two motor vehicles worth US$ 7 000 belonging to his 32 year-old alleged ex-lover.
Chirenje who lives in Norton appeared before Magistrate Patience Madondo on August 29.
It is alleged that Chirenje stole two Toyota Fun Cargo vehicles worth US$ 7 000 from his ex-girlfriend Esnath Mushonga who is employed by a bank in Masvingo, to which he pleaded not guilty to the charges.
It is the state case as presented by prosecutor Ruvimbo Makoni that in April 2018, Mushonga handed over her Toyota Fun Cargo to Chirenje for registration and use as a taxi in Harare and a second one in May during the same year for use as a taxi again.
Chirenje who was supposed to surrender proceeds from the taxi services into Mushonga’s bank account (which he did not) denied the allegations saying that it was a love affair that went sour and that the complainant only reported the case in July 2020 two years after they broke up in 2018.
It is also reported that Chirenje intentionally converted the other vehicle to own use.
The complainant at one point tried to call the accused with the intention of engaging him over failure to remit the proceeds from taxi business, but the latter would decline the calls. In November 2018, they finally discussed the matter but to her surprise, Makoni was told that all the vehicles were no longer in possession of Chirenje and after noticing the accused’s arrogant behavior, she later reported the matter to police leading to the ex-boyfriend’s arrest.
Chirenje’s lawyer however applied for discharge and the ruling for the application was moved to September 5, 2022.
