A Beitbridge man is in trouble after allegedly stealing a rental car and lying that it was stolen together with his lobola money.
Douglas Chinoona, 24, is facing serious charges after allegedly staging the elaborate heist to ship the whiteToyota Hilux GD6 out of the country.
He had rented the pickup truck from Good To Go Car Rental for what he claimed was a lobola ceremony He told H-Metro that he left US$2,400 in the vehicle while spending a night at a Mabelreign lodge on his way to Murehwa, where he was supposedly set to pay bride price.
Chinoona claimed that he was jolted awake by a lodge staff member who informed him that two men had arrived, claiming to be sent by the car rental agency to retrieve the vehicle. After contacting the police, he reported the car as stolen, saying the thieves had made off with both the Toyota Hilux and his lobola money.
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Good To Go Sets The Record Straight
Good To Go Car Rental issued a statement refuting Chinoona’s claims, accusing him of concocting the story to cover up a fraudulent scheme.
“Our attention has been drawn to an article where Chinoona alleges that our Toyota Hilux and his lobola money were stolen. In reality, Chinoona had devised a plan to sell the vehicle abroad. Our investigations, along with police from the Vehicle Theft Squad (VTS), reveal he staged the entire robbery and attempted to smuggle the car to Lusaka, Zambia.”
Further investigations revealed Chinoona, who had no actual lobola ceremony planned, had connived with a friend to illegally smuggle the car to Zambia, where it was to be sold.
Chinoona, who has since been arrested and remains in police custody, is now facing charges of vehicle theft and lying to police officials. The rental company condemned his actions, saying he intended to scam both them and law enforcement by fabricating an elaborate story involving the lobola ritual.
“Chinoona had neither money for lobola nor any plans for a ceremony,” the rental company confirmed. “This was a ploy to deceive us and the authorities.”
Siyabonga Mpini
Siyabonga is a young lad in his mid-twenties who is a sucker for the pen.
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