Chinese Man in Court For Using US$98K Vehicle as Loan Guarantee, Despite No Ownership
A 34-year-old Chinese man, Meng Dong, appeared yesterday in court, facing charges of theft of trust property after allegedly using a vehicle worth US$98K as collateral for a loan, despite not owning it.
Court Proceedings and Remand in Custody
Meng Dong, represented by his lawyer Mr. Freddy Masarirevhu, appeared before Harare Magistrate Mr. Donald Ndirowei. He was remanded in custody pending a bail application scheduled for today.
The Complainant and Alleged Offense
According to State prosecutor Mr. Lancelot Mutsokoti, on February 2, Meng requested a motor vehicle from Sun Hao, intending to use it for only four days. Sun obliged and provided Meng with a pearl white Nissan Patrol, which Meng drove away.
The Sale and Fraudulent Representation
On February 5, around midday, Meng visited Wiltech Auto Trade Car Sale located at number 4 Enterprise Road in Harare. There, he allegedly sold Sun’s car while posing as an agent, using falsified documents.
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Discovery and Police Report
When Sun approached Meng to reclaim his motor vehicle, he was informed that it had been used as collateral for a loan that Meng had obtained. In response, Sun decided to file a police report at ZRP Highlands.
Arrest and Vehicle Recovery
Following the report, Meng was arrested, and he assisted the detectives in recovering the stolen motor vehicle. The car was found in the possession of Wilberforce Ruzvidzo from Wiltech Auto Trade Carsale in Harare, who had purchased it.
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Recovering the Stolen Value
Fortunately, the authorities were able to recover the entire value of the stolen vehicle, which amounted to US$98K.
