Pair ‘steals’ US$58 440 from parked car

Danisa Masuku, Court writer

TWO men from Bulawayo who have been arrested for allegedly stealing US$58 440 from a parked car after they smashed a window at Zuva garage have appeared in court.

Nigel Matengo and Lovemore Mukamba appeared before Bulawayo regional magistrate Mr Mark Dzira charged with theft.

They pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The pair were represented by their lawyer Mr Abel Ndlovu of Abel Law Chambers.

Mr Ndlovu applied for bail stating that when the accused persons were called by detectives to come to Bulawayo Central Police Station they did not run away but complied and that they are of fixed abode.

He, however, stated that the identification parade was improperly done and the complainant failed to identify the accused persons.

Prosecuting, Ms Hazel Ncube, opposed the bail application stating that the accused persons are likely to interfere with the State witnesses. She also said the accused persons were implicated in a number of theft incidents from cars and that they are likely to commit other crimes.

Matengo and Mukumba were remanded in custody to today for bail ruling. Prosecuting Ms Hazel Ncube told court that Matengo and his accomplice smashed a window of a car, which was parked at Zuva garage and took the cash.

“This month on 3 November at Zuva fuel service station situated at Woodlands one of the accused persons used an unknown object to smash the left window of a Nissan NP 200 vehicle and took a satchel containing US$58 440.

“The accused persons jumped into their car and drove-off at a high speed,” said Ms Ncube.
The complainant reported the matter to the police leading to the duo’s arrest.