onlinemedia
Danisa Masuku
Bulawayo Bureau
FOUR suspected robbers who allegedly terrorised Bulawayo residents, breaking into homes and stealing an assortment of property, including television sets, fridges, car batteries and toolboxes, appeared in court yesterday facing 20 counts of unlawful entry and theft.
The accused – John Malunga (28), Menelisi Sibanda (24), Arise Moyo (29) and Fungai Chinjodzi (30) – appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Itai Kagwere.
They were remanded in custody to today for continuation of trial.
Malunga, Moyo and Chinjodzi are representing themselves, while Sibanda is represented by Mr Mclean Mahaso of Liberty Mcijo and Associates.
The State, led by Mr Arnold Mudekunye, withdrew count 13 after the complainant failed to attend court as they are based outside the country.
Malunga was the first to testify in his defence.
“My co-tenant, named Mthokozisi Moyo, came home driving a Toyota single cab loaded with an assortment of goods that include fridges, TV, cellphones and drilling machines. He hired me to offload the goods and gave me US$10,” he said.
He told the court he later helped Mthokozisi sell a TV and two car batteries.
“I looked for buyers and managed to get them quickly. I delivered the TV to the buyer in Hillside,” said Malunga.
He claimed that while waiting for the buyer, five armed men arrived, assaulted him and his co-tenant, and later handed them to police. He said investigators took him to his home, where they demanded receipts for his property.
He produced some but failed to provide others, leading to the confiscation of items without receipts.
Sibanda, through his lawyer, denied involvement in the crimes.
“On May 19, my client was hired by Malunga to transport a TV and two car batteries to two people who had bought them. He did not suspect that the items were stolen. He was shocked to see investigators coming to arrest them,” said Mr Mahaso.
In his defence, Chinjodzi claimed he was arrested after buying a cellphone from Malunga.
“I never committed the crime and the police arrested me after they found me with a cellphone they claimed was stolen. They beat me up and took me to a police station, leading to my arrest,” he said.
Moyo, meanwhile, said he was asked by co-tenant Mthokozisi Moyo to help look for a buyer for a toolbox, but was arrested before completing the task.
The court heard that on February 23, around 4am, the accused broke into a house in Pumula East while the complainant was asleep.
They allegedly forced the door open with a metal bar and stole electrical gadgets including a TV set and two cellphones before fleeing in a Honda Fit.
On February 27, at around 11PM, they allegedly struck at a home in Hillside.
They scaled a precast wall, cut open the main door and stole a TV, microwave, laptop, three toolboxes and other electrical goods before loading them into their getaway car.
On March 2, the gang allegedly raided two homes in Njube and Southwold on the same night. In Njube, they reportedly took a printing machine, cellphones and a car battery, while in Southwold they got away with a black speaker box and groceries.
Later, on March 24, they allegedly targeted a house in Malindela suburb where they stole eight litres of petrol and a lawnmower.
The State alleges that after these incidents, the gang continued their unlawful entry spree, stealing property that included a toolbox, drilling machine, gas tank, car batteries, tyres and an electric pump.
Online Reporter