admin
Codelia Mondela, Court Reporter
A HONDA Fit driver in Bulawayo has been arrested for allegedly working with numerous accomplices to rob a passenger and steal from parked vehicles in the city.
Candy Nyathi (26) allegedly robbed Ms Letwinah Chipika of more than $5 000 in assorted currencies before throwing her out of his moving vehicle.
Nyathi, with an accomplice who is still at large, allegedly strangled Ms Chipika after she boarded the Honda Fit in January this year.
Nyathi, in another case before the court, allegedly connived with Sikhanyiso Ndlovu, Nigel Dzinganai Matengo, Allan Tanaka Zinamo and Bradley Gumede to steal a cellphone, make-up kit and a laptop from Ms Evelyn Chapanduka and Tinashe Basa’s cars that were parked in the city centre.
The stolen property is valued $1 585.
Gumede and Zinamo have since been convicted of theft of the laptop from a motor vehicle.
Nyathi is facing two other counts of theft from motor vehicles and robbery charges. Ndlovu and Matengo are facing theft from motor vehicle charges.
Bulawayo magistrate, Mr Franklin Mkhwananzi, remanded the matter to May 9 for provision of a trial date. He granted Nyathi $100 bail and the other two were remanded out of custody on free bail.
For the State, Mr Maclean Ndlovu alleged that Nyathi robbed Ms Chapanduka on January 1 at around 8PM after she boarded the Honda Fit vehicle at corner Joshua Nkomo and Third Avenue, Bulawayo.
“When they were at corner Joshua Nkomo and First Avenue, Nyathi reduced the speed. His accomplice grabbed the complainant and strangled her. Nyathi took her handbag which contained $4 000 bond notes, US$200, R5 000 and P550.He pushed her out of the car and drove away,” he said.
“On January 9, Nyathi, Matengo, Zinamo and Gumede unlocked Mr Basa’s Toyota Hilux which was parked along 8th Avenue and Josiah Tongogara Street .They stole an Hp laptop worth $1 250 and later dumped it in a bushy area in Makokoba.
“On March 28, Nyathi and Ndlovu used an unknown object to open Ms Chapanduka’s Mercedes Benz where they stole a cell-phone and a makeup kit valued at $335”.
The court heard that the stolen cellphone was recovered from Mr Alfred Dube who implicated Nyathi and Ndlovu.
@MondelaC
Online Reporter