By A Correspondent- Two men appeared in court on Thursday on allegations of stealing a vehicle from the Office of the President and Cabinet.

The suspects, Lameck Phiri and Last Chinamasa appeared before Harare magistrate, Shane Kubonera who remanded them in custody.

The complainant in the matter is Obey Mbofana, who is employed by the OPC

Allegations are that on 17 March 2022, Mbofana parked a silver Toyota Quantum along Nelson Mandela Avenue in the Harare CBD.

Mbofana left the engine running, with car keys on the ignition, while he bargained on the price of a pair of shoes, which were being sold on the pavement.

The duo took advantage, jumped into the vehicle and took off at high speed.

Mbofana attempted to give chase but the suspects turned into Leopold Takawira Street and disappeared.

Detectives from the Vehicle Theft Squad eventually caught up with the suspects following investigations.

On 29 March detectives questioned Crynonce Kasenga who was in possession of one of Mbofana’s stolen cellphones.

He told the detectives he bought the cellphone from Phiri who in turn implicated Chinamasa.

The police also recovered the stolen vehicle key attached to a Honda Fit key, and a battery and a starter that had been removed from the stolen Toyota Quantum.

The Toyota Quantum was found in Zinanga Village, Chief Seke in Ziko where Chinamasa’s father Simon stays.

Detectives identified the stolen vehicle by its Chassis number. However, the engine, gearbox, battery, starter and number plates had been removed.

The number plates had been stashed in a maize field in Sunningdale 2. The gearbox was also recovered.-HMetro