Cop arrested for theft

Midlands Bureau Chief
A 31-year-old police officer based in Harare has been fined $5 000 or 10 days in prison after he was convicted of using an ATM card without authority from the owner to buy beer, ice and groceries worth more than $8 000.

The police officer, stationed at Parliament Building in Harare, Xavier Tawanda Mushunje was arrested at Shangani Business Centre on his way to Bulawayo after making the unauthorised purchases.

Mushunje appeared before Gweru magistrate Mr Progress Murandu facing one count of theft.

He was convicted on his own plea and fined $5 000 or in default of payment, 10 days in prison.

It was the State’s case that on December 17 and at Chicken Inn, Robert Mugabe Way in Gweru, at around 1PM, Mushunje who had earlier familiarised himself with the complainant Mr Andrew Phiri, approached the latter asking for financial assistance.

The court heard that Mushunje told the complainant that his vehicle had been clamped by Gweru City Council employees.

Mushunje, the court heard, requested $1 230 from Mr Phiri so that he could pay into the GCC account for his car to be released.

Mr Phiri who had built trust in Mushunje, gave him his One Money card and Pin number.

The duo, the court heard, agreed that Mushunje would return the card soon after paying the fine.

The court heard that at around 2.15PM on the same day, Mr Phiri received messages on his mobile phone indicating that a further $8 916,59 had been withdrawn from his account and the purchase was done at Pick n Pay Megawatt in Gweru.

Mr Phiri then realised that his card was being used without his authority and made a police report.

A follow up was made at Pick n Pay Megawatt where it was confirmed via a CCTV footage that Mushunje had purchased beer, ice and groceries using the complainant’s card.

Mushunje was tracked and apprehended at Shangani Business Centre on his way to Bulawayo and the card was recovered.

The total stolen was $8 916.59.

Mushunje, the court heard, paid back all the money he had used without Mr Phiri’s consent.