Businessman Shingai Levison Muringi will serve 480 hours of community service after he was convicted of contempt of court yesterday.

The sentence came after he was found guilty of disposing a motor vehicle which was an exhibit in a criminal case.

Harare Magistrate Lisa Mutendereki ruled that Muringi violated a court order as it did not give him the right to dispose the vehicle although it had given him temporary access.

The complainant in this case was Patrick “Chimpa” Mutenha. Handing her judgement, Magistrate Mutendereki said, “The car was subject to a criminal case that was ongoing, he (Muringi) was granted temporary use of the vehicle, and it was to be made available if needed without disposing it.

“Was the vehicle going to be available upon demand after being sold, no, so it is the court’s finding that he was in breach of the order as he knew that he was supposed to be in possession of the car at all material times,” she said.

It is the State’s case that Muringi was arrested last year for fraud and money laundering. His vehicle, a white Toyota Hilux Double Cap was impounded and kept as an exhibit after his arrest.

The matter was referred to Harare Magistrates Court for prosecution and he later applied for the release of the car.

On December 18, the Provincial Magistrate granted a Court Order for the release of the motor vehicle from police custody to Muringi. He was given a condition that he would produce the said vehicle upon request to do so by the State.

He was also ordered not to dispose of the vehicle in any way pending the finalization of the matter.

On December 20, Muringi sold the car to Chimpa for US$50 000, he produced an agreement of sale and never disclosed the status of the vehicle to complainant.

Muringi then hatched a plan to recover the vehicle from Chimpa and lured to re-possess the vehicle and reported a matter of theft involving the vehicle.

Chimpa was arrested by Vehicle Theft Squad. During the course of the investigation, the status of the car was established.

The car is impounded as an exhibit.