A 23-year-old man from Chinhoyi has been sentenced to an effective 12 months in prison after being convicted of stealing a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) vehicle from Chemagamba Police Camp.
Godfrey Musa Ndlovu appeared before the Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court, where it was established that the incident occurred on 7 December 2025. The court heard that a police officer had been preparing to travel to Mutoko using a marked silver Kia Rio police vehicle when Ndlovu, who is related to the officer’s neighbour, asked for a lift into Chinhoyi town.
The officer agreed and allowed Ndlovu to load his belongings into the vehicle. However, before departing, the officer briefly went back into his house to collect a mobile phone, leaving the car keys inside his jacket on the seat. Taking advantage of the situation, Ndlovu allegedly picked up the keys, started the vehicle, and drove away at speed.
Police later tracked down the suspect following a tip-off and arrested him near Thrills Service Station, where he was travelling in an unregistered taxi commonly known as a mushikashika. Ndlovu subsequently led officers to the stolen vehicle, which was recovered in Ruvimbo Phase 2, Chinhoyi.
The court was told that the vehicle, valued at US$6,000, had been tampered with. Its registration plates were removed, the third plate altered, the police radio disconnected, and the communication aerial damaged. The missing registration plates, worth US$650, were not recovered.
Ndlovu was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment, with 18 months suspended on condition of good behaviour, leaving him to serve an effective 12-month jail term.
