Online Reporter
Prosper Dembedza
Herald Correspondent
AN employee of Johane Marange Apostolic Church leader Nimrod Taguta allegedly lost ZAR 700 000 in a bus he had boarded from Mutare to Harare, the court heard on Saturday.
The suspects, Tinashe Hute (19) and Marko Kudakwashe (38), were facing theft charges when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Tapiwa Kuhudzai
The court heard that on May 7 2026, at approximately that time, the complainant, Tinashe Mafararikwa—an employee of Nimrod Taguta, leader of the Johane Marange Apostolic Church in Zimbabwe boarded a Gold Class bus in Mutare bound for Harare.
He placed a black Monarch suitcase containing the 700 000 South African Rands (equivalent to (US$47 000) in the bus luggage compartment.
It is alleged that Hute and Kudakwashe, who were passengers in the same bus, hatched a plan to steal the bag.
They disembarked along the way and acted as if they had luggage in the boot and took the complainant’s monarch and went away.
Upon arrival at the Fourth Street Bus Terminus in Harare, the complainant discovered that the bag was missing.
Apart from the money, the bag also contained various personal valuables, and clothing. He subsequently proceeded to ZRP Harare Central, where he filed a formal report.
On September 24 2026, detectives received information linking the accused persons to the commission of the offence.
Acting on this intelligence, the detectives arrested the two in Rusape and Hute and led the recovery of the suitcase and property worth US$5 900.
