23-Year-Old Jailed for Stealing Police Vehicle

Itai Mazire

A 23-year-old man from Chinhoyi has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after stealing a Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) vehicle from Chemagamba Police Camp.

According to court papers, the Chinhoyi Magistrates’ Court convicted Godfrey Musa Ndlovu (23) of stealing a ZRP vehicle from Chemagamba Police Camp in Chinhoyi.

The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) said that on 7 December 2025, at around 0500 hours, a ZRP officer was preparing to travel to Mutoko in a silver Kia Rio police vehicle when the offender, who was a relative of the officer’s neighbour, requested a lift into Chinhoyi town.

“The officer allowed him to load his goods into the vehicle. Before departure, the officer briefly returned to his residence to collect a cellphone, leaving the vehicle keys inside his jacket on the seat. The offender then took the keys and drove off at high speed,” the NPA said.

Acting on a tip-off, police later apprehended Ndlovu near Thrills Service Station while he was travelling in an unregistered taxi, commonly known as a mushikashika. He subsequently led officers to the recovery of the stolen vehicle in Ruvimbo Phase 2, Chinhoyi.

The vehicle, valued at US$6 000, was recovered with its registration plates removed, the third plate altered, the police radio disconnected, and the communication aerial damaged. The missing registration plates, valued at US$650, were not recovered.

Ndlovu was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment, of which 18 months were suspended on condition of good behaviour, leaving him to serve an effective 12-month jail term.