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Tendai Rupapa and Tawanda Marwizi
Popular music promoter and director of Chipaz Promotions Patson Chimbodza has been arraigned for allegedly using a vehicle without the owner’s consent and causing damages to the same property.

Chipaz, as he is affectionately known, was represented by Harare lawyer Mr Freddy Machokoto when he appeared at the Harare Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Magistrate Mr Takunda Mutetwa remanded him out of custody on $100 bail.

Chimbodza was warned against interferring with witnesses while out on bail and ordered to continue staying at his Mandara house as well as report once weekly to the police until finalisation of the case.

Prosecutor Mr Dyton Vhiriri in his case outline alleges that the vehicle owner Mr Elliot Chivige – an ambulance driver with Emras – hired out his Toyota Granvia to some unnamed three people.

The trio told him that they wanted to use the vehicle to attend a memorial service in Mvuma for a day and they agreed on a hiring fee of $90.

When the trio took the vehicle, it is alleged, they did not return it until detectives from CID Law and Order Section recovered it at Chimbodza’s work place at Number 35 Lobengula Road in Southerton.

Police investigations revealed that Chimbodza was not the one who had hired the vehicle but that he had used it to carry his speakers and other musical instruments from Harare to Gweru without the knowledge of the owner.

The vehicle in question, the State alleges, had been vandalised to an extent that the seats were missing.

Police also established that the seats were removed by Chimbodza in order to accommodate the huge speakers but they were never recovered.

The prosecution alleges that the vehicle’s suspension was also damaged as a result of the unlawful usage and quantified total damages caused to the vehicle at $1 200.

Chimbodza will be back in court on April 8 this year.