Online Reporter
Danisa Masuku
A GANG of three men accused of terrorising residents in Bulawayo’s leafy eastern suburbs is back in court, now facing two fresh counts of unlawful entry on top of a mountain of other charges already hanging over their heads.
John Malunga, Fungai Chinjodzi and Arise Moyo, all from Nketa suburb, appeared before Bulawayo magistrate Dube-Banda where they pleaded not guilty to the latest charges.
In their defence, Malunga spun a tale that raised eyebrows in court. He claimed they were innocent middlemen who were framed by police.
“I was approached by a man called Mthokozisi from our suburb. He said he was selling a generator, pressure washers, a TV, a bicycle and a four-plate stove. I started looking for customers and asked my friends Moyo and Chinjodzi to help. That is when police pounced on us, beat us and forced us to admit to stealing property that was not ours,” Malunga insisted.
Prosecutors painted a very different picture. The court heard that on 21 March just after 1AM, the trio allegedly crept into Bradfield, scaled a precast wall and broke into a house. Once inside, they reportedly took a generator, an electric stove, a bicycle and pressure washers before vanishing into the night in their getaway car.
Hours later, around 1:30PM the same day, the three allegedly struck again. This time, they scaled another wall in the same suburb, smashed a kitchen window and stole a gas stove which they loaded into their car before fleeing.
Police quickly pieced the puzzle together after the second break-in was reported, leading to the arrest of the trio.
The fresh charges come while Malunga, Chinjodzi and Moyo are already facing 19 other counts of unlawful entry and theft before another magistrate, Itai Kagwere. They have denied all those charges as well.
The trio’s alleged crime spree has left Bradfield residents shaken, with many now living behind locked gates and reinforced security systems. “We used to feel safe here but now you sleep with one eye open,” said one frightened resident outside court.
The accused remain behind bars and were remanded in custody to 7 October. If convicted on all counts, they could face lengthy jail terms.
For now, Bulawayo watches closely as the “Bradfield Trio” continues its cat-and-mouse game with the law.
