A daring businessman drove away from a Harare car sale with a Honda Fit after allegedly duping the car seller with the promise of paying the required amount on an agreed date.

Harare businessman Jeremiah Sundire is said to have left the car dealer holding pictures of him with President Emmerson Mnangagwa as proof that he was a man of integrity.

Sundire, the managing director of Jerikash Hydro-Electric Company, secured a Honda Fit worth US$5 000 and has evaded paying the required amount since October last year, it is alleged.

Harare car dealer, Peter Matanganyidze, of Enterprise Car Sale has since reported the matter to the police under reference number RRB4622280.

It is alleged that Sundire approached car dealer Lennon Manyengavana looking for a vehicle to buy.

Manyengavana then referred him to his brother Matanganyidze sometime in October.

“He (Sundire) came to me through Lennon and he said he was not liquid at that particular time. He wanted a Honda Fit which I pegged at US$5 000 and he assured me that he will make good full payment on November 7 and we drafted an agreement in black and white,” Matanganyidze told Zim Morning Post.

“I trusted him because he presented himself to me as a straight influential businessman showing me his pictures with President (Emmerson) Mnangagwa and his offer letters for hydroelectricity power generation projects from Mashonaland East provincial minister Apolonia Munzverengwi among other assurances,” he added.

The due date of payment came and Sundire became evasive, Matanganyidze said.

He allegedly gave numerous excuses including claims that he had secured funding from Homelink Financial Services.
“At first he was evasive then he showed us documents purporting to have secured funding from Homelink. I have the print outs. All this was to buy time and my car was depreciating because he was using it all this long,” Matanganyidze said.

“When I would call he would say he is in a meeting with RBZ governor (John) Mangudya and later send pictures of him and the governor but what I wanted was my money not pictures of his associates.”

“I became suspicious when he offered me land which was more valuable than my car and I raised alarm and hunted for him until I recovered mg car after close to three months,” explained Matanganyidze.

In his defence, Sundire told this reporter that he was the rightful owner of the vehicle.

He produced a document that he termed a ‘receipt’.

However, the ‘receipt’ did not bear any proof of payment but was rather stating his commitment to pay within a mutually agreed period between the parties.

“This guy got me arrested and I was detained at Braeside police. I want to sue him big time for defamation of character, he is liar. If you need more information you can contact my lawyers or the investigation officer Zifosho,” said Sundire.

He counter alleged that his wife had to pay Matanganyidze US$900 while he was caged.

“He went to my wife and demanded US$900 when I was in holding cells and he was given the money,” explained Sundire.

The matter has spilled to the court and was set down for February 17 at Mbare magistrate court.

Sundire is facing fraud charges through misrepresentation.

-Zim Morning Post