adminElizabeth Tsuro, Midlands Reporter
A 28-YEAR-OLD man from Gweru, who went on the run last year after allegedly stealing National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) equipment worth $25,000 with an accomplice, has been arrested.
Detectives arrested Colleta Moyo of Eastline in Gweru on Tuesday after he had eluded them for 12 months.
He appeared on initial remand before Gweru Magistrate Tayengwa Chibanda charged with unlawful entry and theft.
Chibanda did not ask Moyo to plead and remanded him in custody to April 13.
The Investigating Officer, Constable Mbengo, opposed bail saying Moyo was a flight risk as had three pending stocktheft cases at Gweru Rural Police Station.
Moyo’s arrest paved way for the prosecution of his alleged accomplice Darlington Phezulu.
The court heard that Phezulu was arrested but it was difficult to link him to the offence as he said the property found in his possession belonged to Moyo who could not be located at the time.
Prosecuting, Lloyd Mavhisa told the court that on a date unknown to the prosecutor but during the month of April last year, Moyo and Phezulu went to NRZ Siding Microwave Satellite Station and used an iron bar to force the door open and gained entry.
“They stole two generators, microwave satellite equipment sheets, aluminium frame doors and cabinets worth $25, 000,”said Mavhisa.
He said police got a tipoff that Moyo and Phezulu were the ones who stole the property.
The prosecutor told the court that acting on the tipoff-off, detectives recovered the stolen property at the accused’s homesteads.
Mavhisa said Moyo was arrested at his homestead in Gweru and the stolen property was recovered.
derick.khumalo