Thieves dump stolen Botswana car, dump it at Mphoe...

Thieves dump stolen Botswana car, dump it at Mphoengs village

Zim Now Writer

POLICE in Plumtree, Matabeleland South Province, have launched a manhunt for three suspects who allegedly stole a car from Francistown, Botswana and dumped it at an unsuspecting villager’s homestead.

Police have identified the three as Kwanele Phuti, Prince Dube and Austin Gumbo.

According to police, the three allegedly stole the vehicle, a Toyota Hilux GD6, 2.4 litre single-cab vehicle on 31 October, which had P6 000 from a spare parts shop in Francistown and the vehicle tracker indicated that it had crossed into Zimbabwe through Ngwanyana area, Madabe, Plumtree.

The vehicle also had spare parts of another motor vehicle, small air compressor and three car batteries.

A team comprising Zimbabwean police officers and Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) officers was then deployed at Mphoengs Border Post to make follow-ups along Mphoengs-Plumtree with the help of four Botswana police officers.

The team tracked the vehicle to Eunice Moyo’s homestand in Mbambanyika, Mphoengs where two men who worked at the homestead revealed that the vehicle had been allegedly brought at the homestead at around 10am by Kwanele Phuti who was in the company of two other male adults.

Police heard that Phuti had asked to leave the vehicle at the homestead as it had run out of fuel, promising to come and collect it once they got fuel.

Phuti and the other two suspects then boarded a vehicle towards Mphoengs Border Post and a follow-up was made up to Mkgambo Business Centre.

When the three realized that they were being pursued by police officers, they bolted out of the vehicle and fled into the bush where they outpaced the officers.