A man who has been on the run since July after stealing his employer’s car has been arrested and the vehicle was recovered in a bad state.
Brighton Mabhata who used the alias Mduduzi Ndlovu was employed as a cattle herder at a homestead in Empandeni in Plumtree.
In July, Mabhats, allegedly stole the vehicle, a red Honda Fit with registration number AFH 4885 and various household items and disappeared.
He is suspected to have ditched the front fender to avoid detection after one of the villagers picked it.
Mabhata was recently arrested and is detained in Plumtree awaiting trial while the vehicle was recovered in Tsholotsho and is in a bad state.
A family member, Sizani Moyo, said the suspect had reportedly gone back to his previous employer in Tsholotsho.
“I was informed by students that they had spotted a red vehicle that fits the description of our stolen vehicle and the person who was driving the car had identified himself as Brighton Mabhata. He had told the villagers that he bought the vehicle from the proceeds of his gold mining venture,” said Moyo.
The family then engaged the police who managed to track him to Skente village in Tsholotsho leading to his arrest.
“When he got to Plumtree police station he denied stealing the vehicle saying my mom gave him the vehicle but when he was taken to court he simply apologised and said the police arrested him when he was also on his way to return the vehicle,” said Moyo.
