HARARE - A Harare magistrate has heard how a 34-year-old man hired six vehicles, changed their registration books and sold them without the knowledge of unsuspecting owners.

Bransbie Bhamu yesterday appeared before regional magistrate Hosea Mujaya on allegations of stealing the cars.

The court heard Bhamu approached Stanmore Munyukwi in August 2012 and hired Munyukwi’s Nissan HB on the pretext that he was going to return it early the following month.

According to the agreement, he was to pay $65 per day for the services.

The court heard Bhamu went with the vehicle for good. He allegedly drafted an agreement of sale, purporting he had bought the vehicle from Munyukwi.

With assistance from one Lloyd Nyabunze, the court heard Bhamu managed to get a duplicate registration book at the Central Vehicle Registry.

He sold the vehicle for $6 500. The court heard that using the same trick, Bhamu went on to hire three Toyota Hilux vehicles, a Toyota Landcruiser and a Nissan and sold all the vehicles.

He allegedly hired the vehicles from Noel Jakaza, Lilian Gora, Solomon Nhamo, Hellen Mukutura and Mazvidzeni Masamba on different occasions.

Bhamu was arrested after being identified by an alert police officer from CID Vehicle Theft Squad, while seeking clearance for a vehicle.

Magistrate Mujaya remanded Bhamu in custody. He will be back in court on February 11. - Tendai Kamhungira