A suspected thief has appeared in court on charges of snatching an iPhone from a woman while she was driving in Harare. Oliver Rimai, aged 43, was brought before Harare magistrate Sharon Rakafa to face two counts of theft. He has been remanded in custody until February 26.
According to the State, on February 1 at around 7:45pm, Chido Mnangagwa was driving her Mercedes-Benz along 7th Street when she stopped at the traffic lights. Rimai, who allegedly targets motorists at traffic lights, snatched Mnangagwa’s iPhone 15 Pro Max through the open passenger’s side window and fled the scene. Mnangagwa reported the incident to her brother, who pursued and apprehended Rimai, allowing for the recovery of the stolen phone.
In a separate incident, Rimai is accused of stealing a Samsung S23 Ultra and Samsung 4 Smart from Uzziel Maukola using the same method at a different location. The stolen items have a combined value of US$2,250.
