Monday 16 August 2021

THIEVES STEAL MINISTER'S HUBBY'S COMMAND AGRICULTURE INPUTS

TWO men who connived and stole some fertilizers that belonged to the husband of a provincial Minister appeared in court charged with two counts of unlawful entry and theft.

Kudzai Gasho, 34, and Tafadzwa Chipindura, 42, appeared before Karoi provincial magistrate Felix Chauromwe charged with two counts of unlawful entry and theft when they stole from Cosmas Chikoka, the husband of Mashonaland West Provincial Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Mary Mliswa-Chikoka.

Prosecuting, Gerald Dhamusi and Pazvichaenda Munakira opposed bail for the two basing their argument on the seriousness of the offence in light of the fact that the inputs stolen and sold were from the Command Agriculture Programme thereby sabotaging defying purpose of the initiative.

They also argued Gasho and Chipindura were a flight risk, as Gasho had been difficult to locate him to question him in relation to the charges. The state led evidence from the investigating officer Romeo Dabengwa.

However, defence counsel Mr Chihuta argued that the two had surrendered themselves and fully cooperated with the police hence were not flight risks.

Magistrate Chauromwe granted bail after ruling that the state had no cogent reasons to advance in opposition of bail and he granted it with conditions.

The two were told to deposit $30 000 each with the clerk of court and to continue to reside at their given address and not to interfere with witnesses.

On the first count of unlawful entry, allegations are that sometime early July 2021 and without the knowledge of Chikoka, Gasho went to Chillington Farm in Karoi and removed the locks which secured the warehouse containing Chikoka’s Compound D fertilizers.

He locked the warehouse using his lock and left one of the keys to Julius Musa, who is a security guard at the farm.

On July 17 at around 5pm, Chipindura approached Musa at the farm securing the warehouse and its contents and ordered him to unlock it using the key that had been left in his possession by Gasho, alleging that he had been given permission by Gasho to collect 1200x 50kgs of Compound D fertilizers.

Musa who was in possession of one of the warehouse keys opened the warehouse.

On theft charges, it is alleged that on July 17, Chipindura in connivance with Gasho, hired a 10-ton truck registration no ACU 7332 which was being driven by Donald Govere and another 30-ton truck registration no AEZ 8626 being driven by Nyasha Maturiro and went to the farm where Chikoka’s fertilizers were stored.

Chipindura hired Simbarashe Mackenzie, John Seremwe and Morgan Yoyole, who were waiting for some menial jobs at GMB Karoi to load 1200x50kg bags of Compound D fertilizers into the trucks.

Govere’s truck was loaded with 200x50kgs bags of fertilizers three times and Maturiro’s was loaded with 600×50 kgs bags. Chipindura went away with the trucks loaded with the fertilizers.

On July 29, at around 9am, Detectives from CID Karoi received information to the effect that Govere and Maturiro were hired to transport the stolen property.

Govere led detectives to Talkmore Tayiziveyi’s house located at house no 7549 Kubatana, Karoi, where he had off-loaded the fertilizers.

A total of 400x50kgs bags were recovered from Tayiziveyi and 73x50kgs were recovered at Tayiziveyi’s storeroom located at Madiro complex Karoi.

Maturiro led detectives at Chirara complex situated at Chibuku area, where 250x50kgs bags were recovered.

Further information led detectives to the recovery of 200x50kgs bags at Vengai Mugweni’s house at no 3079 Chiedza, Karoi and 100x50kgs bags at Petey Sembana’s house at K4 Damba village, Mhangura Mine which they bought from Gasho.

Detectives managed to recover 1023x 50kgs bags of fertilizers. Total value stolen is US$26 000 and value recovered is US$22 605. H Metro

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