Harare Couple Dupe Car Dealer
A Chitungwiza car dealer, Phillip Mukeyani, on Thursday finally caught up with a Harare couple who had allegedly duped him US$9 000 in a botched car deal.
Mukeyani and his colleagues intercepted Shepherd Kavarega and his wife Wendy Kadowonda of Lochinvar in the capital’s central business district (CBD) following a tip-off.
Kavarega and his wife were reportedly planning to flee to Malawi with a DAF 15-ton lorry which they bought from Mukeyani.
Mukeyani told The Herald that the couple had been playing hide and seek after he gave them the truck in good faith. He said:
I sold this couple my truck for US$18 000 in February this year and they paid US$9 000. We then agreed that they would finish the remaining balance within three months and failure to pay would result in us confiscating the vehicle at our car sale in Chitungwiza for safekeeping until they clear the balance.
After three months, the couple became evasive and I tried to reach out to them and all I got were insults from Kadowonda.
She said she was in quarantine and would not be able to give me back my money. Her husband was always telling me different stories and the couple refused to see me in person.
Mukeyani said he had to engage an independent person to pretend as if he wanted to hire the truck in order to find its location.
However, Kadowonda said they did not refuse to finish the remaining balance but they were facing hard times to bring the money together. He said:
We were on good terms with Phillip but I do not know what is wrong with him today. I told him that I used some of the money to repair the truck before I got ill and I used some of the money for medication but I will give him his remaining balance.
Following the fracas, Mukeyani took the truck to his car sale for safekeeping until the couple paid the outstanding sum.
