TWIST TO MUGABE THEFT CASE

THE trial of a presidential guard, who allegedly broke into a storage facility at Zimbabwe House and stole former President Robert Mugabe’s computers, has taken a new twist with Harare magistrate Josephine Sande saying the court would on June 14 conduct an inspection in loco at the site to verify allegations made by the State.

Pepukai Zvakavapano, a senior member of the presidential guard, stands accused of stealing Mugabe’s 100 laptops and computer accessories following a break-in at Zimbabwe House on April 3 this year.

Zvakavapano who is represented by Tinashe Mbara has denied the charges.
Yesterday, magistrate Sande postponed the matter after briefly inspecting some of the recovered stolen laptops and computers at the courts.

Allegations against Zvakavapano are that soon after Mugabe’s ouster last year, Wonder Nyamurima was instructed to store the former Head of State’s property at Zimbabwe House inside five containers in the polo grounds for security reasons.

The State alleges on April 3, Zvakavapano and an accomplice only identified as Marega, were tasked to provide overnight security duties at the property.

At around 2am, the duo allegedly broke into the containers and stole seven computer monitors, CPUs, keyboards, mouse, pads, 57 Inspur model laptops, 44 large and small Lenovo laptops, 18 HP printers, four Sahara and Mercer complete desktop computer sets, as well as two Xerox printers, and sold the loot to different people and computer dealers at giveaway prices in Harare’s central business district.

Francisca Mukumbiri appeared for the State. Newsday 

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