Courts round up

Luveve man faces two counts of attempted murder, theft
A 46-YEAR-OLD man from Luveve suburb in Bulawayo appeared in court facing two counts of attempted murder and theft after he allegedly attacked a plumber, whom he accused of doing a shoddy job.

Wisdom Ncube pleaded not guilty when he appeared before the Bulawayo Regional magistrate Dambudzo Malunga last Monday. He was remanded on $5 000 bail to 13 April for trial.

According to the State case which was presented by Mr Naison Chivayo, on 18 November last year, Ncube, brandishing a knobkerrie, approached Earnest Mutsikano (41) and inquired whether he was the one who did plumbing at a certain house in Luveve.

Before Mutsikano responded he was hit with a knobkerrie on the left ear, punched by Ncube who also threw bricks at him.

As Mutsikano tried to run away, Ncube chased him using a pickup car from Fort Street to Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street where he continued to beat him up along an alley, shouting that he was a thief until he knocked him unconscious. The court heard that Ncube then proceeded to a shop owned by Mutsikano and stole US$300.

The matter was reported to the police leading to his arrest. — Thembekile Ntuliki

Gwanda Hospital HR convicted for bribery

A HUMAN resources officer at Gwanda General Hospital has been jailed 24 months after he was convicted of demanding a US$50 bribe to process a transfer letter

. Hlengani Moyo (32) appeared before the Gwanda magistrate Mrs Charity Maphisa last week facing charges of criminal abuse of duty as a public officer.

Moyo pleaded not guilty, but was convicted due to overwhelming evidence.

He was sentenced to four months imprisonment, of which 12 months were suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour while a further 12 months were suspended on condition he performs 420 hours of community service at Gwanda Hospital.

Prosecuting, Mncedisi Dube told the court that sometime in June 2020, Irene Masiri submitted her application for a transfer from Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo to Gwanda Provincial Hospital.

The transfer papers were processed in October 2020 and referred to Moyo who was in charge of the human resources department for processing the acceptance letter.

“The informant called the accused and they met. during the meeting the accused person told the informant that it was difficult for her to be accepted at the hospital despite the fact that Mpilo Central Hospital had approved the transfer.

He then demanded US$50 as bribe for him to process the acceptance letter,” Mr Dube told the court.

The court heard that Masiri begged and pleaded with Moyo to process the letter since she did not have the money, but Moyo was adamant that he will only process once the money was paid.

The court heard that on 17 November 2020, Masiri was called for an interview, where Moyo was part of the four-member interview panel.

After the interview, Masiri made a follow up with Moyo over the phone and he insisted on his earlier demands.

After pleadings from Masiri, Moyo then reduced the amount to R500. Unbeknown to Moyo, Masiri was recording the conversation.

Masiri later forwarded the recording to the Ministry of Health and Child Care reporting platform, which later reported the matter to the CID Anti-Corruption Unit Southern Region.

A trap was set up and Moyo was arrested soon after receiving the money from Masiri.-Thembekile Ntuliki.

Stolen taxi recovered in Plumtree village

A BULAWAYO man has been arrested after he and his accomplices who are still at large assaulted and robbed a taxi driver whom they had hired.

Cain Ncube (30) last week appeared before Western Commonage residential magistrate Mr Shepherd Mjanja to answer to charges of Robbery and ‘Car jacking’ as defined in section 126 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23.

He was remanded in custody to 11 April 2022 and was advised to apply for bail at the High Court.

According to the State outline presented by Ms Melissa Dube, on 26 March and at around 10pm Ncube and his accomplices phoned the complainant Never Dladla on the pretext they wanted to hire him from Tshabalala Extension to Emakhandeni,

Bulawayo and pay him US$10.

Dladla drove his silver Honda Fit registration number AFL4126 and met Ncube and his gang in Tshabalala Extension.

The court heard that when they entered the car, Ncube and his accomplices grabbed Dladla by his neck and forced him out of the car.

They went on to assault him with a knobkerrie on the forehead and drove away with the car. Inside the car, Dladla had a Mobicel dual sim cellphone.

The stolen phone was recovered from Ncube when he was arrested.

The arrest also led to the recovery of the stolen car in a bushy area at Guqukani village, Chief

Tshitshi in Plumtree.

The value of the property stolen was US$4 650 and everything was recovered.

—Angel Nkomo