Chronicle Editor
Simba Jemwa, Sunday News Reporter
AN act of bravery by a mentally challenged man who stood in front of a getaway car successfully blocking it led to the arrest of two Bulawayo men after they allegedly stole cash amounting to US$1 500 from a parked vehicle in the city.
The two, Sizolwenkosi Ndlovu (38) and Movias Ngwenya (33) of 4572 in Gwabalanda who are both unemployed were arrested by police officers on Thursday last week when they allegedly broke into a car and stole US$1 500.
Lady luck refused to smile on them when a mentally challenged man blocked their getaway car after he heard people shouting that they were thieves.
Ngwenya and Ndlovu are now being charged with theft from a motor vehicle as defined in Section 113 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform) Act Chapter 9:23. Acting Bulawayo police spokesperson Assistant Inspector Nomalanga Msebele confirmed the incident.
She said on 10 November at around 9.30AM, the complainant, Tinotenda Mkwananzi of Emakhandeni who was in the company of her sister, Tinevimbo Ncube parked her motor vehicle, a Toyota Hilux along 8th Avenue in front of the Bulawayo City Council’s Revenue Hall.
After parking her vehicle, the complainant locked all doors and closed all the windows before entering the Revenue Hall, leaving a khaki envelope with US$1 500 hidden between a folded passenger’s seat.
After an hour the complainant returned to her car and noticed that the vehicle’s side door was open and Ndlovu was inside and pretending to be doing something on the car battery.
The complainant shouted and Ndlovu ran away holding the complainant’s khaki envelope and got into a Toyota Rav 4 registration number AFG8107, which was driven by Ngwenya.
But before Ngwenya could drive away, a mentally challenged person blocked the car by standing in front of it at which point two other accused persons only identified as Tineyi Chigondo, also known as Ras Tee and Knowledge Tsiga opened Ngwenya’s car and disappeared into the crowd.
Detectives from CID arrested Ngwenya and Ndlovu and impounded the vehicle that was used in the commission of the offence.
The stolen property was not recovered. Various articles for criminal use were recovered from both accused persons pockets and others in Ngwenya’s vehicle.
Both accused persons are being charged for theft from car and illegal possession of articles for criminal use. Asst Insp Msebele urged drivers to desist from carrying large amounts of cash on their person or to leave them in their vehicles.
“We continue to urge people to desist from carrying large amounts of money on their person. I would also like to urge them to be more careful when they are carrying such large amounts of cash and not leave their vehicles unattended even if they are locked,” said Assistant Inspector Msebele. -@RealSimbaJemwa
Bongani Ndlovu