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Prosper Dembedza Court Correspondent
The trial of businessman Eddie Zviitwa and his four accomplices, accused of stealing $85 000 from a fellow dealer, kicked off on Tuesday with the five denying the charges.
Zviitwa, popularly known as Eddie Kebab, Keagan Paul Blumears, Taurai Makata, Obey Chakacha and Tinashe Hakunavanhu denied the allegations when they appeared before Harare magistrate Mr Hoseah Mujaya.
They are accused of teaming up and stealing $85 000 from Hosvep Taghlan.
Zviitwa, through his lawyer Rekai Maphosa, told the court that he was called by Taghlan to drive to Keagan’s house to assist him since he was in trouble.
He said he realised that he could not assist since he found three alleged policemen who claimed to have arrested Taghlan for illegally dealing in gold.
“The accused will deny the charge or any competent verdicts thereof, and put the State to its strictest proof thereof in that regard.
“He will state that he drove to Keagan’s house, and upon arrival he saw three formally dressed men, one of them holding a brown bag.
“These three men indicated that they were police officers, and one of them was holding a bag. He has no connection with the said officers.
“He will further state that he realised that he could render any assistance since one of the cops was holding the bag and had already indicated that the complainant had committed a serious offence of dealing in gold without a licence and therefore had a case to answer,” said Zviitwa.
Blumears, who is being represented by lawyer Admire Rubaya, also denied the charges saying he was a victim of the police’s “dragnet approach”.
He said he was not known to the said police officers who are alleged to have taken the bag believed to contain the $85 000.
“The first accused (Blumears) will tell the court that he never got hold of the complainant’s alleged $85 000, neither had he seen the alleged money in question before the bag, which allegedly contained it was taken away by the individuals unknown to him who happen to be police officers.
“The complainant will be put to strict proof that he had gone to accused place of residence to view an alleged Hyundai excavator given that it would be almost impossible to get an excavator in the area first accused person (Blumears) resides.
“The complainant’s allegations that the first accused stole from him is a clear, desperate attempt by the complainant to use the criminal justice system to try and force the first accused to admit to having been involved in the commission of the offence.
“The first accused will state that he rendered assistance to the complainant by giving him his cellphone to use in a bid to get assistance from his friends,” he said.
Blumears, who is cited as the first accused in State papers, also told the court that he never intended to sell an excavator.
Makata and Chakacha, through their lawyer Mr Bevin Bopoto, also denied the charges.
They told the court that they were out of the country when the crime was allegedly committed.
Hakunavanhu, who is also represented Mr Bopoto, said he was in the Harare central business district, going about his business during the time the offence is alleged to have been committed.
“The accused persons never had any encounter with the complainant and neither are they known to him,” said Mr Bopoto.
Online Reporter