Story by Parvel Makona
A 41-year-old Harare man has appeared in court facing three counts of fraud after allegedly hiring and attempting to sell rented vehicles worth more than US$27 000.
According to court papers, Tonderai Katsa is charged with fraud as defined in Section 136 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act in connection with three separate incidents that allegedly occurred in July 2026.
In the first count, prosecutors allege Katsa acted in connivance with accomplices identified as Evans, Mathew and Blessing Mandungumana, who remain at large.
The court heard that on 7 July, one of the alleged accomplices, posing as Blessing Mandungumana, hired a silver Toyota Aqua from Atendah Car Rental in Eastlea, owned by Stewart Matsiwe (42).
The vehicle was allegedly hired for four days after a payment of US$200, before Katsa allegedly sold it to Tinashe Dzawanda for US$7 500 and converted the proceeds to his own use. The vehicle was later recovered.
In the second count, prosecutors allege that on 8 July, Katsa and his alleged accomplices produced a fake national identity card in Matsiwe’s name and a counterfeit vehicle registration book for another Toyota Aqua.
Using the alleged forged documents, Katsa is accused of selling the vehicle to Dzawanda for US$7 500. Dzawanda later discovered the vehicle had been hired from Matsiwe and reported the matter to police, leading to Katsa’s arrest.
The third count relates to Tryness Mapurisa (30), manager at ShaynenDad Car Rental, where Katsa allegedly hired a red Nissan X-Trail on 14 July for five days after paying US$600.
Prosecutors allege Katsa used fake registration details in the name of Wellington Ndawana, before allegedly producing a counterfeit registration book and fake national identity documents in the names of Mutizamhepo Tsitsi and Mukungwami Mukudzei.
He allegedly attempted to sell the vehicle to Tatenda Sinyoro for US$10 000 before being arrested.
Katsa was remanded in custody and is expected to return to court on 20 July.
His alleged accomplices are still at large.
