Chantelle Muzanenhamo
Bulawayo car dealer and socialite Brighton “Dash” Chipunza finds himself at the center of a car hijacking saga, with allegations of orchestrating the theft of a Toyota Fortuner from a local car wash.
The theft, which occurred last week, has sparked intrigue as reports surface linking Chipunza to a web of alleged criminal activity involving his supposed accomplice, Julius Chitunhu, in whose possession the car was recovered.
The South African-registered vehicle, belonging to Silibaziso Ncube, mysteriously vanished from Tunnel Car Wash on November 18.
According to police documents, Ncube had secured the vehicle before leaving it in the care of a car wash employee named Panashe Dube. When Ncube returned to retrieve her vehicle, she was met with the shocking realization that it had disappeared without a trace. Dube later claimed he witnessed the SUV leaving the premises but assumed it was Ncube driving.
Investigators from the Vehicle Theft Squad soon discovered that the car wash’s CCTV cameras had been disabled, raising suspicions of an inside job.
By November 19, the stolen vehicle was tracked to Harare, where police recovered it from Chitunhu’s residence, albeit with its number plates removed and the chassis number reportedly ground down.
Police also recovered tools, including a grinder, stencils, acid, and spray paint, at Chitunhu’s home, suggesting a calculated attempt to alter the vehicle’s identity.
Chitunhu has appeared in court and was granted bail of ZWL 10,000, with a trial set to commence on December 11.
Meanwhile, Chipunza, 30, who has faced vehicle theft allegations before, including a high-profile case involving a stolen Ford Ranger three years ago, now finds his reputation further tarnished amidst these latest accusations.
As details continue to unfold, the community is left pondering the implications of Chipunza’s alleged involvement in the theft and what this could mean for the already beleaguered car dealership industry in Bulawayo.
Will the socialite manage to clear his name, or does a darker truth lie behind the glitz and glamour of his public persona? Only time will tell as this case progresses through the courts.