Court clears mechanic of any wrong doing

RABECCA BANDA writes

@SunZambian

THE Chilenje Local Court has dismissed a claim by a businessman who sued a mechanic to be refunded K2, 000 he used to buy parts to repair his motor vehicle.

Isaac Ntala, 39, a businessman of Lusaka’s Mtendere compound was sued by Godfrey Temba, 56, of Chilenje Township.

Temba explained that the Ntala was engaged to fix his car and requested for money to buy the needed car parts.

He told senior local court magistrate Ackim Phiri that Ntala took his car to the garage for panel beating and painting.

“He kept my car for four years and never did any work. I went to the garage to check on the car and discovered that the battery, headlights and speakers were missing,

“I called him and he said the battery, headlights and speakers were in the boot of the car. I asked him for the keys so that we can open and check. He refused and said that he had left the keys at home,” he said.

Temba said Ntala was possession of the keys to his car.

He said Ntala agreed to replace the missing parts but since then, he had not done so, adding there was a communication breakdown because the mechanic was not picking up his calls.

“I want him to pay for the missing car parts,” he said.

Ntala said he did not know anything about the car parts the Temba is claiming.

Ntala said nothing was missing because Temba would have informed him if anything was missing from his car.

“If he had told me I would have replaced it. I am surprised that he is claiming that the parts were missing after 4 years has passed,” he said.

The court dismissed the case on grounds that Temba did not provide evidence of the claim.