Chronicle Editor
Rutendo Nyeve, Sunday News Reporter
PROMINENT Bulawayo businessman and miner Mr Brian Samuriwo has been left counting losses after his mine workers took advantage of the laxity of the security system to steal gold ore believed to be valued at US$500 000.
While a number of suspects linked to the loot are still on the run, two of the suspects have been convicted and sentenced by Kezi magistrate Mr Busani Sibanda who found them guilty of theft of gold ore.
The two had made good of their loot with one buying a house in Nketa 9 in Bulawayo and the other a village stand and building material among other assets.
Andrew Mugwidi (26) and Tafadzwa Chauke appeared before Kezi magistrate Mr Sibanda facing several theft of gold ore charges.
According to court papers, Mugwidi was employed as a blaster by the complainant who is Time Stream Mine owner Mr Samuriwo.
“On a date unknown to the prosecutor but between the period extending from December 2023 to February 2024 the accused and his three accomplices who are still at large were employed at Time Stream Mine in Matopo. The accused person and his accomplice took advantage of the laxity of the security system, connived and stole gold ore from the mine shaft.
“The offence came to light when the mine manager Brighton Chikobingo got information to the effect that the accused person stole gold ore from the mine. Investigations were done leading to the arrest of one of the accused person’s accomplice, Tafadzwa Chauke who then implicated Mugwidi. The accused person was arrested and confessed to having stolen the ore. Nothing was recovered from him,” reads the court papers.
The court was told that Mugwidi then led detectives to OLLAH Investments where he sold the gold proceeds from the stolen ore where records were checked with OLLAH Investments and receipt number 2287 issued to Mugwidi on 12 January 2024 were retrieved.
The receipts showed that the total value stolen was US$5 201 and nothing was recovered.
On the second count, the court was told that on a date unknown to the prosecutor but between the period extending from December 2023 to February 2024, the accused person stole gold from Time Stream Mine, Matopo and processed it.
“The accused person then used the proceeds and purchased a house at stand number (address withheld) Nketa 9 Bulawayo. An agreement of sale can be produced as an exhibit. Accused person acted unlawfully,” reads the court papers.
Mugwidi was found guilty and sentenced to four years imprisonment with one year suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour, two years were suspended on condition that he restitutes the complainant US$30 500 through the clerk of court on or before 30 August 2024 and one year suspended on condition he performs 420 hours of community service at Nketa Clinic.
Mugwidi’s accomplice, Chauke also appeared before the same magistrate facing similar charges.
He was found guilty and sentenced to three years imprisonment with one year suspended for five years on condition of good behaviour, one more year suspended on condition that he restitutes the complainant US$3 000 and the other year was suspended on condition that he performs 420 hours of community service. – @nyeve14
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