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Court Reporter
FOUR Wilkins Hospital employees appeared in court on allegations of stealing six cisterns, four toilet seats and other items from the hospital storeroom.
Ignatius Varera, Costa Mabhandi, Kudakwashe Mabhabuyi and Taurai Tanga, appeared at the Harare Magistrates Court yesterday charged with unlawful entry into premises in aggravating circumstances.
They were not asked to plead to the charges when they appeared before magistrate Mr Dennis Mangosi, who remanded them in custody to January 17.
Varera is employed as a chef, Mabhandi is a mortician while Mabhabuyi and Tanga are municipal police officers.
Andrew Tapera, an administrator at Wilkins, represented the hospital.
It is the State’s case that from July 25 to August 8 last year, Varera and Mabhandi went to Wilkins Hospital where one of them scaled over the precast wall and went to the storeroom.
They then allegedly stole some solar panels, six cisterns, four toilet seats, 17x20mmx6m copper pipes and 1x100m horse pipe.
It is said that Mabhabuyi and Tanga were on duty manning the premises, and noted the offence while it was still being executed.
The court heard that the two municipal police officers pretended as if nothing was going on and later allegedly approached Varera and Mabhandi, who in turn gave them US$15 to conceal the offence.
The court heard that Varera and Mabhandi then returned to the storeroom and stole other items.
Tapera then discovered the offence and reported the matter at ZRP Milton Park, leading to the arrest of the four on December 29 last year, and later taken to court.
Online Reporter