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Herald Correspondent

New Aviation Company managing director Ronald Masimba Nyandoro has appeared in court on allegations of selling his boss’s Toyota Land Cruiser without his consent and converting the money to own use.

Nyandoro (46) was facing theft of trust property charges when he appeared before a Harare magistrate.

Mr James Patrick Landon is the complainant in the case.

Nyandoro and Landon are friends since their childhood. 

On an unknown date but in November 2022, Nyandoro approached Landon asking for a motor vehicle to use temporarily since his vehicle had broken down. 

It is alleged that Landon gave Nyandoro his Toyota Land Cruiser on the terms that he would temporarily use and return it upon demand.

On April 27 this year, Landon asked Nyandoro to return his vehicle but he failed to do so. Landon further asked for his vehicle on several occasions from Nyandoro but, again, he failed to return it.

On the June 6, Landon then met Nyandoro at Borrowdale Brooke Club.

It is the State’s case that Nyandoro then told Landon that he had found some Australian buyers who were interested in the vehicle for US$23 000.

The court heard that Landon then authorised Nyandoro to sell the vehicle on his behalf to the said potential buyers.

On June 22, Nyandoro told Landon that they were to meet at Borrowdale Broke, saying the Australian potential buyers wanted to see him urgently before buying the vehicle.  Landon went to Borrowdale Brooke Club but Nyandoro and the alleged Australian potential buyers didn’t show up. 

It is the State’s case that Landon lost faith in Nyandoro’s promises, prompting him to demand his vehicle back. 

Nyondoro allegedly started claiming that Landon owed him an unspecified sum of money and was therefore not going to give him back the vehicle. On July 20, Landon discovered that his vehicle was being offered for sale on Facebook by Kirk Woest of House Number 49, Pringle Road, Mandara, Harare. He made effort to recover his vehicle from Woest, but to no avail.

On August 17, Landon reported the matter to the police, and acting on information received, they recovered the vehicle from Woest.

Police investigations revealed that Nyandoro sold the vehicle for US$16 000 to Woest on July 18 2023. The total value stolen is US$35 000 and all was recovered.