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Thupeyo Muleya Beitbridge Bureau
The trial of three men who were recently arrested in connection with 24 cases of house-breaking has been set for November 3. The gang has been on the police wanted list for 10 years and is linked to several cases of unlawful entry and theft in the border town.
The trio comprising Patrick Mulambo (36), Farai Mutomba (29) and Cheeseman Vutete (39), all of no fixed abode, are accused of breaking into 24 houses and stealing electrical gadgets between March and October this year.
It is alleged that they used iron bars to break into some of the houses and that until their arrest last Monday, they had been hiding along the banks of the Limpopo River.
The three were still under investigation for more cases committed in the last decade.
Beitbridge magistrate, Ms Gwineth Drawo, has since convicted Mulambo on the first two counts of unlawful entry and sentenced him to 15 months in prison.
He will stand trial with his accomplices for the remaining 22 cases on November 3.
Mr Jabulani Mberesi prosecuting told the court that the trio connived to break into 24 houses where they would steal an assortment of electrical gadgets, cell phones and clothes between March and October this year.
He said the trio used Vutete’s unregistered Toyota Corolla as a getaway car and to ferry the loot.
He added that the accused persons would break into the houses between 1am and 3am.
The State alleges that during that period, the trio stole property valued at US$15 576, and property worth US$3 995 was recovered.
Mr Mberesi added that all the matters were reported to the police leading to their arrest following a tip-off.
He said following their arrest, the accused persons led the police to most of the houses they had broke into.
They also led the detectives to their safe house in Dulibadzimu where some of the items were recovered and positively identified by their owners.
Online Reporter