THE owner of a vehicle that crashed into a tree and caught fire, killing the driver while injuring two men in Bulawayo’s Nketa 6 suburb on Wednesday night, has said his mechanic ‘stole’ his car for a joyride with his friends.
The driver of the new Nissan Skyline spoilt with 17 inch alloy rims died on the spot after he was thrown out of the car while two passengers sustained serious injuries. They were taken to Mpilo Central Hospital where they are admitted.
Mr Collen Zvimbvatu (46) said his mechanic, Donald Maliga, took his vehicle and gave it to his friend, who is suspected to be unlicensed, to drive without his consent.
He said Maliga went for a ‘joyride’, which ended in tragedy, with his brother Brighton and the deceased.
According to Mr Zvimbvatu, the Maliga brothers were battling for their lives in hospital.
“I gave Don my car to fix the fuel pump and he told me it also needed a new battery so I gave him money to buy these and he was supposed to have been done this Friday,” said Mr Zvimbvatu.
“To my surprise I received news that the car is a write off. I then saw it on The Chronicle’s front page. I don’t even know the man who was driving. I asked Don at the hospital if he had a licence and he could not give a clear answer. He told me he only met him at bars and doesn’t even know where he lived.”
Mr Zvimbvatu said he was shocked when he heard the news of the accident as he knew his car to be at a garage.
“As I was in a meeting, someone called Shakespeare came and told me that Don had been admitted and my car had been burnt to a shell,” he said.
“My wife and I are shocked. A car that was brand new has become a wreck like this and we only read in the newspaper where it was not even specified whose car it was. I took the story lightly because I was confident my car was at a workshop being fixed,” said Mr Zvimbvatu.
He said the only recognisable thing left of his $10 000 car were the mag wheels and number plate. The disgruntled owner said he would sue Maliga.
“To make matters worse, I only insured this car on third party; it’s not on full cover. In as much as he has nothing, I am suing him. I have lost everything; the car, money used to buy the battery and the pump, all gone.
“A vehicle worth more than $10 000 gone just like that, he has to pay,” said Mr Zvimbvatu angrily. chronicle
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